Ukrainian Parliament approves changes

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The last barrier to the re-run of the Ukrainian Presidential election has been lifted, as the Parliament has now approved the combined package of changes to the Constitution and election regulations.

The main features of the agreement – which President Kuchma immediately signed into law after they were passed – are:

  • Reforms of the Central Electoral Commission, including a new chairman
  • Limiting the use of absentee ballots in election
  • The President will now only appoint the Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Foreign Minister, subject to Parliamentary approval
  • More power devolved to the regions

    • The BBC has a good analysis of the changes and notes that while they settle the current crisis, they also change the way Ukraine will be run in the long term with the system becoming more parliamentary and less presidential.