Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Leonid D. KUCHMA (since 19 July 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Valeriy PUSTOVOYTENKO (since 16
July 1997), First Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr KURATCHENKO (since
14 January 1999), and three deputy prime ministers
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president and
approved by the Supreme Council
note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC
originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but
significantly revamped and strengthened under President KUCHMA; the
NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on
domestic and international matters and advising the president; a
Presidential Administration that helps draft presidential edicts and
provides policy support to the president; and a Council of Regions
that serves as an advisory body created by President KUCHMA in
September 1994 that includes chairmen of the Kyyiv (Kiev) and
Sevastopol' municipalities and chairmen of the Oblasti
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 26 June and 10 July 1994 (next to be held NA
October 1999); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed
by the president and approved by the People's Council
election results: Leonid D. KUCHMA elected president; percent of
vote—Leonid KUCHMA 52.15%, Leonid KRAVCHUK 45.06%
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada
(450 seats; under Ukraine's new election law, half of the Rada's
seats are allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that
gain 4% of the national electoral vote; the other 225 members are
elected by popular vote in single-mandate constituencies; all serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 29 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2002);
note—repeat elections continuing to fill vacant seats
election results: percent of vote by party (for parties clearing 4%
hurdle on 29 March 1998)—Communist 24.7%, Rukh 9.4%,
Socialist/Peasant 8.6%, Green 5.3%, People's Democratic Party 5.0%,
Hromada 4.7%, Progressive Socialist 4.0%, United Social Democratic
Party 4.0%; seats by party (as of 8 July 1998)—Communist 120,
People's Democratic Party 88, Rukh 47, Hromada 45, Socialist/Peasant
33, United Social Democratic 25, Green 24, Progressive Socialist 14,
independents 26, vacant 28
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Ukraine [Petro
VITRENKO]
note: and numerous smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: New Ukraine (Nova
Ukrayina); Congress of National Democratic Forces
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUA, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Anton Denysovych BUTEYKO
chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Steven Karl PIFER
embassy: 10 Yuria Kotsubynskoho, 254053 Kiev 53
mailing address: use embassy street address