Law on elections during martial law to be applied once, parliament speaker says
Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk stated that the law on elections during wartime will be applied once (Photo: Ruslan Stefanchuk / Facebook)
Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk approved creating a working group to prepare a bill on elections during martial law. Such a mechanism would be used once, Ukraine’s Suspilne public broadcaster reported late on Dec. 22.
The group will be led by First Deputy Speaker Oleksandr Korniyenko. It will also include representatives from all factions and groups, civil society and the Central Election Commission.
Stefanchuk added that a document will be developed "that will allow holding not just elections in Ukraine, but safe democratic elections that the whole world will trust."
The parliament speaker noted that the bill must address how military personnel, internally displaced persons and Ukrainian refugees abroad will vote, consider holding elections in temporarily occupied territories, and the presence of foreign observers.
"For each issue, there is a whole range of pros and cons that need to be worked through, take the best global experience and propose to Ukraine a new law that will be for one-time use specifically for these elections," Stefanchuk said. “And I hope we will move to the platform provided by the Constitution, in the election code and follow that path.”
On Dec. 22, Central Election Commission deputy head Serhiy Dubovyk said that holding elections in Ukraine requires changes to legislation on elections under martial law, so the ball is now in parliament's court.
When elections will take place in Ukraine
On Feb. 25, the Verkhovna Rada passed a resolution supporting democracy in Ukraine, stating that elections cannot be held in the country until the war ends.
Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said the legislature is considering a number of issues necessary for further forming a bill on holding elections in Ukraine. At the same time, elections are possible only after the war ends.
In March, Central Election Commission head Oleh Didenko said current legislation sets clear timelines for elections after martial law ends: parliamentary within 60 days, presidential within 90.
Meanwhile, bill No. 13464 has been registered in parliament, which could potentially allow elections during martial law. The explanatory note to the document states its goal is to adapt electoral legislation to wartime conditions.
Ukraine is ready to hold elections, but only under safe circumstances, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Aug. 18. He added that "elections cannot be held during war."
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