Our Ukraine (political party)

This article is about Core party of the Our Ukraine Bloc created in 2005. For another party with such name prior to 2005, see Reforms and Order Party.
Our Ukraine
Leader Viktor Yushchenko[1][2]
Founded 5 March 2005
Headquarters Kiev, Ukraine
Ideology National liberalism[3][4][5]
Economic liberalism[3][4][5][6]
Liberal conservatism[4]
Conservatism[3]
Pro-Europeanism[7]
Political position Centre-right[5]
International affiliation None
Colours Orange
Regions (2010)
53 / 3,056

[8]

Website
http://www.razom.org.ua

The Our Ukraine (Ukrainian: Наша Україна) (prior to mid-July 2009 known as People's Union "Our Ukraine" (Ukrainian: Народний Союз «Наша Україна»)[9]) is a centre-right political party of Ukraine formed in 2005.[10] The party supported former president President Viktor Yushchenko. It lost much of its support nationwide, yet still has some regional representation in the Western Ukraine.

On 2 March 2013, there was an attempt to dissolve the party by Serhiy Bondarchuk at one of the party congresses in Kiev.[11] However, the same day other sections of the party claimed this congress was illegal and the real party congress would be held on 18 May 2013.[12] People's Union "Our Ukraine" was an observer in the European People's Party until this status was deprived early September 2013.[13] Youth Union Our Ukraine is the youth wing of the party.[14]

History

As part of Our Ukraine Bloc

The party is the continuation of the electoral alliance of the Viktor Yushchenko Bloc known as "Our Ukraine". The NSNU was formally launched on March 5, 2005 by the group of politicians appointed by the incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko, but it failed to attract most constituent parties that had been members of the previous bloc, which refused to be absorbed into the newly formed party.

The constituent congress, held in the capital Kiev and attended by 6,000 delegates from all the regions of Ukraine, elected Yushchenko as honorary chairman (who received membership card No.1). Former deputy Prime Minister Roman Bezsmertnyi was elected head of the party's Presidium and Yuriy Yekhanurov as head of the party's Central Executive Committee.

During the parliamentary elections on March 26, 2006, the party took part in the newly formed Our Ukraine bloc.[10] In the snap parliamentary elections conducted on September 30, 2007, the party was part of the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc alliance,[10] that won 72 (14,15% of the national vote) out of 450 seats in the Verkhovna Rada.[10]

In December 2008 the Ukrainian Independent Information Agency (UNIAN) reported that the People's Union Our Ukraine and United Centre parties were to carry out a unifying congress on 17 January 2009. UNIAN also reported that the People's Democratic party may join the move.[15] However, neither of the events happened. In October 2008 the presidium of People’s Union Our Ukraine party had already decided not to team up with any other party for the proposed snap parliamentary poll then the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc and had called the idea of teaming up with United Centre "impossible".[16][17]

The Kiev branch of the party decided not to take part in the party congress of June 2009 because they found the party "destructive".[18][19]

In October 2009 the party stated it intended to take part in the October 2012 parliamentary elections.[20] A March 2010 poll predicted that the party would get 1.4% of the vote in these elections[21] (on 19 August 2009 Victor Yushchenko's support rating had already slumped to 3.8%[22][23] and during the 2010 Ukrainian Presidential Election he won 5.5% of the votes[24]).

Independently (since 2010)

During the 2010 Ukrainian local elections the party (political blocs were not permitted to compete in the election[25][26]) met with total failure[27] when it took only 2.3% of the national vote[28] (political parties need to collect at least 5% of the national vote in order to gain seats in the Verkhovna Rada[29][30]). The party did quite well in the historical regions Volhynia and Galicia receiving minimal 5% of the votes up through 13,2%, but outside these regions it met with complete failure only managing to win 1,7% in Poltava Oblast, 0,9% in Zhytomyr Oblast and 0,7% in Kiev Oblast.[31]

A merging with other parties was discussed in September 2011 but was blocked by the party's council.[32]

Results in the 2012 elections

In a December 2011 poll by Rating the party scored 1%.[33] Since then the rating in various polls of the party stayed around 1%.[34][35][36]

The party announced that the Ukrainian People's Party would be merged into the party in December 2011.[37] This process started mid-December 2011.[37] Both parties were expected to be unified in February 2012.[37] But by February 2013 Ukrainian People's Party was still an independent party.[38] Nevertheless, they both teamed up with Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists in the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election.[39] In these election this combination won 1.11% of the national votes[40] and no constituencies and thus failed to win parliamentary representation.[41] In these election Yushchenko headed the election list of Our Ukraine.[1] The party itself had competed in 25 constituencies and lost in all.[42][43]

The Ukrainian People's Party merged with People's Movement of Ukraine in May 2013.[44]

March 2013 attempt of dissolvement and further history

On 9 February 2013 the Kiev branch of the party, led by Serhiy Bondarchuk,[45] expelled Viktor Yuschenko from the party.[46] The same day the political council of the party canceled this decision.[46]

On 2 March 2013 a party congress in Kiev dissolved Our Ukraine.[11] However, the same day other sections of the party claimed this congress was illegal and the real party congress will be held on 18 May 2013.[12] They claimed the 2 March congress was illegitimate because its organizer, Serhiy Bondarchuk is a former member of the party.[12][45] At the 2 March congress Bondarchuk urged to dissolve all current Ukrainian right wing extra-parliamentary parties and the creation of a single right-wing party.[45] Bondarchuk tried unsuccessfully to remove the registration of Our Ukraine at the Ministry of Justice; they did not accept his documents.[47][48] The remains of Our Ukraine re-registered its party members.[48][nb 1]

The party did not participate in the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election.[50]

On 6 September 2013 the party was deprived of its "observer status" in the European People's Party[13] because "it did no more comply with the principles that the party declared when it joined the European People's Party".[51][nb 2]

Parliamentary since 1994
(year links to election page)
Year Bloc Votes % Mandates
2006
Our Ukraine
3,539,140
13.95
81 (0)
2007
Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc
3,301,282
14.15
72 (0)
2012
226,482
1.11
0 (0)

Notes

  1. ↑ Bondarchuk started (in March 2013) an initiative group to discuss the idea of creating a new political party.[49]
  2. ↑ On 6 September 2013 the fellow Ukrainian party UDAR was granted "observer status" in the European People's Party.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 (Ukrainian) "Наша Україна" хоче бути альтернативою усім учасникам виборів "Our Ukraine" wants to be an alternative to all election participants , BBC Ukrainian (31 July 2012)
  2. ↑ Our Ukraine's congress adopts amendments in party's statute, Ukrinform (27 December 2008)
  3. 1 2 3 Madalena Resende; Hendrik Kraetzschmar (2005), "Parties of Power as Roadblocks to Democracy: The Cases of Ukraine and Egypt", Democratisation in the European Neighbourhood, Centre for European Policy Studies, p. 160
  4. 1 2 3 Anders Åslund (2009), How Ukraine Became a Market Economy and Democracy, Peterson Institute for International Economics, p. 180
  5. 1 2 3 Taras Kuzio (2008), "Ukraine", Nations and Nationalism: A Global Historical Overview, ABC-CLIO, p. 1629
  6. ↑ Taras Kuzio (2005), "Ukraine's 2004 Presidential Election: The Orange Revolution", Elections Today, 12 (4): 10
  7. ↑ Natalia Shapovalova (2010), "Ukraine: A New Partnership", The European Union and Democracy Promotion, The Johns Hopkins University Press, p. 60
  8. ↑ (Ukrainian) Results of elections, Central Election Commission
  9. ↑ Our Ukraine officially changes its name, Interfax-Ukraine (14 July 2009)
  10. 1 2 3 4 (Ukrainian) Політична партія «Наша Україна», Database DATA
  11. 1 2 http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-yushchenko-party-dissolved/24917479.html
    http://www.kyivpost.com/content/politics/our-ukraine-partys-congress-legitimate-bondarchuk-321207.html
  12. 1 2 3 (Ukrainian) Ванникова: Бондарчук міг так само оголосити себе мером Лондона Vannikova: Bondarchuk could just declare himself mayor of London, Ukrayinska Pravda (2 March 2013)
  13. 1 2 3 (Ukrainian) Європейська народна партія взяла до себе "УДАР" і виключила "Нашу Україну" European People's Party took a "hit" and excluded "Our Ukraine", Ukrayinska Pravda (6 September 2013)
    Member Parties, European People's Party
  14. ↑ (Ukrainian) У Києві розпочався з’їзд Нашої України: Ющенка запросили доповісти In Kiev began XII congress of the political party "Our Ukraine", UNIAN (2 March 2013)
  15. ↑ Our Ukraine and United Center parties to unite, UNIAN (24 December 2008)
  16. ↑ "Our Ukraine officially refused to team up with United Center". UNIAN. 21 October 2008.
  17. ↑ "Our Ukraine Board defined the formatting of participation in elections". Our Ukraine official website (in Ukrainian). 21 October 2008.
  18. ↑ (Ukrainian) Столична "Наша Україна" не збирається в масовку на з'їзд, Ukrayinska Pravda (26 June 2009)
  19. ↑ Council of Our Ukraine's branch in Kyiv quits party, Interfax-Ukraine (2 July 2009)
  20. ↑ Our Ukraine to participate in next parliamentary elections, Interfax-Ukraine (28 October 2009)
  21. ↑ Party Of Regions, Tymoshenko bloc, Strong Ukraine, Front for Change and Communist Party would get into parliament, Kyiv Post (12 April 2010
  22. ↑ (English) Socis center for social and political studies, UkrNews (17 August 2009)
  23. ↑ "With or without Baloha, Yushchenko's unelectable". Kyiv Post. 28 May 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  24. ↑ James Marson (18 January 2010). "Ukrainian Presidential Election Set for Runoff". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  25. ↑ Ukraine changes election rules before key vote, Kyiv Post (28 July 2010)
  26. ↑ Law: All parties registered in Ukraine would be able to participate in local elections, Kyiv Post (30 August 2010)
  27. ↑ Local government elections in Ukraine: last stage in the Party of Regions’ takeover of power, Centre for Eastern Studies (4 October 2010)
  28. ↑ UKRAINIAN APPEALS TO ANTI-SEMITISM IN ELECTION WIN, Internet Centre Anti Racism Europe (4 November 2010)
  29. ↑ Laws of Ukraine. Law No. 1665-IV: On elections of People's deputies of Ukraine. Adopted on 2004-03-25. (Ukrainian). Article 96.
  30. ↑ Parliament passes law on parliamentary elections, Kyiv Post (17 November 2011)
  31. ↑ (Ukrainian) Results of the elections, preliminary data, on interactive maps by Ukrayinska Pravda (8 November 2010)
  32. ↑ (Ukrainian) "Наша Україна" знову не змогла визначитись зі своїм майбутнім, Ukrayinska Pravda (27 September 2011)
  33. ↑ Electoral moods of the population of Ukraine: Deсember 2011, Rating (20 December 2011)
  34. ↑ If parliamentary elections were held next Sunday how would you vote? (recurrent poll, 2010-2011) by Razumkov Centre
  35. ↑ Poll: Party of Regions of Ukraine losing support, Kyiv Post (28 April 2011)
    Party Of Regions, Tymoshenko bloc, Strong Ukraine, Front for Change and Communist Party would get into parliament, Kyiv Post (12 April 2010)
  36. ↑ Ratings of parties, Sociological group "RATING"
    Electoral moods of the Ukrainian population: February 2012, Sociological group "RATING" (5 March 2012)
  37. 1 2 3 (Ukrainian) "Наша Україна" й УНП почали об’єднання з Дніпропетровська, Ukrayinska Pravda (18 December 2011)
  38. ↑ (Ukrainian) УНП висунула кандидата до Полтавської обласної ради UNP candidate nominated to the Poltava Regional Council, Poltava-Info (11 February 2013)
  39. ↑
  40. ↑ Our Ukraine party dissolves, Interfax-Ukraine (2 March 2013)
  41. ↑ (Ukrainian) Proportional votes & Constituency seats, Central Election Commission of Ukraine
  42. ↑ (Ukrainian) Candidates, RBC Ukraine
  43. ↑ Party of Regions gets 185 seats in Ukrainian parliament, Batkivschyna 101 - CEC, Interfax-Ukraine (12 November 2012)
  44. ↑ Ukrainian People's Party, People's Movement Of Ukraine Decide Unite Into Rukh, Elect Kuibida Its Leader, Ukrainian News Agency (19 May 2013)
  45. 1 2 3 (Ukrainian) Бондарчук хоче створити нову праву партію Bondarchuk wants to create a new right party, Ukrayinska Pravda (2 March 2013)
  46. 1 2 http://www.kyivpost.com/content/politics/our-ukraines-political-council-returns-yuschenko-to-party-320199.html, Kyiv Post (9 February 2013)
    (Ukrainian) Ющенко і Бондарчук продовжують ділити партію Yushchenko and Bondarchuk continue to divide the party, Ukrayinska Pravda (11 February 2013)
  47. ↑ (Ukrainian) Лавринович відмовився хоронити партію Ющенка Justice refused to register the submission Bondarchuk on the termination of the party "Our Ukraine"., UNIAN ()
  48. 1 2 (Ukrainian) Ющенко переніс з’їзд через "сезонні польові роботи" Yushchenko postponed the Congress because of the "seasonal field work", Ukrayinska Pravda (16 May 2013)
  49. ↑ (Russian) Выходцы из «Нашей Украины» основывают новую партию Natives of the "Our Ukraine" set up a new party
  50. ↑ Alphabetical Index of parties in 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election, Central Election Commission of Ukraine
  51. ↑ (Ukrainian) Європейська народна партія поміняла Нашу Україну на УДАР European People's Party (EPP) denied observer status in the EPP party for "Our Ukraine" and gave it to the party UDAR., UNIAN (6 September 2013)
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