Ukraine in constitutional crisis

Dick Taffe — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:37:31 +0000

Ukraine’s newly elected president has been unable to muster a coalition in parliament to replace the prime minister whom he defeated for the presidency. The president’s party is trying to change the law to make coalition forming easier, which the ex-PM’s party calls a “constitutional coup d’etat.” Ukraine expert Tammy Lynch from BU’s Institute for the Study of Conflict, Ideology & Policy, says the country is at a crossroads.

“Reverting to a system that undermines parties and blocs would reverse Ukraine’s democratic development significantly. All parliamentary structure could be destroyed — and, given the number of millionaires and billionaires in Ukraine’s parliament, they have plenty of money to get whatever they want done.”

Contact Tammy Lynch, 617-353-5815, tammymlynch@hotmail.com

Ukranian election results suspended

Dick Taffe — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:16:15 +0000

Although President Obama and others already have congratulated the winner, Ukraine’s high court has suspended the results of that country’s presidential election pending a review of the runner-up’s appeal. Tammy Lynch, a senior fellow at BU’s Institute for the Study of Conflict, Ideology & Policy and an authority on Ukranian politics, says it’s a power play by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

“In Ukraine, most political power rests in the PM’s office. Therefore, although she lost the election, Tymoshenko will maintain more state power in her hands. How long she can continue this largely depends on how long her public support is maintained.”

Contact Tammy Lynch, 617-353-5815, tammymlynch@hotmail.com

BU Now » Orange Revolution

Ukraine in constitutional crisis

Ukranian election results suspended