Prime Minister of Ukraine
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The Prime Minister of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Прем'єр-міністр України) presides over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the top body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government.
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[edit] Appointment and dismissal
The Prime Minister is appointed by the Verkhovna Rada following a proposal by President (Article 114 of Constitution). The candidacy is chosen and forwarded to the President by a parliamentary coalition. Formally, the President has 15 days to consider the candidacy and the Constitution is silent on whether the candidacy may be turned down.
Before the Constitutional reform of 2004, the President was not restricted in his choice of the Prime-Minister candidacy and the ratification in the parliament was usually preceded by several days of comprehensive consultations and interviews of the candidate by the parliamentary factions. The approval by the legislature was not a mere formality. Some candidates were ratified by a narrow margin and a candidate may be turned down. For instance, in 1999, Valeriy Pustovoytenko fell short of 3 votes to be re-confirmed after he tendered his resignation at the second inauguration of President Kuchma. Kuchma chose Viktor Yushchenko as his alternate candidate. Another example is the ratification of Yuriy Yekhanurov. He was short of 3 votes to get ratified and was confirmed on the second attempt 2 days later.
Before the constitutional reform, the Prime minister was usually dismissed unilaterally by the President. After the reform the Prime minister can only be dismissed by the parliament. Formally, the Verkhovna Rada needs to pass a resolution of no confidence in the Cabinet, which must result in the PM's resignation. However, the parliament cannot put the resolution on vote within one year after the approval of the Cabinet's programme. The parliament dismissed the Cabinets of Viktor Yushchenko and Viktor Yanukovych. The latter refused to tender his resignation to the President claiming a violation of the one-year period condition. The Cabinet of Yuriy Yekhanurov had also been formally dismissed, but the parliamentary act was subsequently repealed.
The Prime Minister, as well as any other Cabinet member, may resign voluntarily by tendering the resignation to the parliament. A resignation by the Prime Minister results in the dismissal of the Cabinet. After the adoption of the current Constitution of Ukraine, only Pavlo Lazarenko lost his post this way.
Also, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet are obligated to resign to each new convocation of the parliament. (Article 115 of Constitution).
[edit] Authority
The Prime Minister supervises the work of the Cabinet and signs its acts. Also, he or she proposes candidacies of ministers to the parliament (except the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense), as well as candidacies of heads of regional state administrations (colloquially referred to as "governors") to the President.
Moreover, the Prime Minister has the authority to countersign many presidential edicts, together with a minister responsible for the execution of the edict. The Constitution does not make it clear whether the PM may withhold his signature and whether missing countersignatures render an edict unenforceable.
[edit] Prime ministers' terms in office
| Name | Dates as Acting PM before ratification | Dates in office | Dates as Acting PM after resignation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viktor Yanukovych | 4 August 2006– | Appointed by the parliament (271 ayes, 9 nays): Act. | ||
| Yuriy Yehanurov | 8 September 2005– 21 September 2005 | 22 September 2005– 26 May 2006 | 26 May 2006– 4 August 2006 | Ratified by the parliament on second attempt (289 ayes). In the first attempt (20 September 2005), Mr. Yekhanurov fell short of 3 votes (223 ayes, 226 needed). On January 10, 2006, the Cabinet was dismissed by the parliament under new constitutional rules: Act. However, this controversial act was later repealed by the next convocation of the parliament: Act. Mr. Yekhanurov tendered his resignation at the first meeting of the newly elected parliament. |
| Yuliya Tymoshenko | 24 January 2005– 4 February 2005 | 4 February 2005– 8 September 2005 | Ratified by a record number of 373 ayes (226 needed). Dismissed by President Viktor Yushchenko: Edict. | |
| Mykola Azarov | 5 January 2005– 24 January 2005 | Acting Prime Minister. Announced resignation of the Cabinet according to the Constitution of Ukraine at President Yushchenko's inauguration | ||
| Viktor Yanukovych | 28 December 2004– 5 January 2005 | Announced his resignation on 31 December 2004. | ||
| Mykola Azarov | 7 December 2004– 28 December 2004 | Acting Prime Minister during Yanukovych's leave of absence. | ||
| Viktor Yanukovych | 21 November 2002– 7 December 2004 | The legality of his tenure past 1 December 2004, when the parliament passed a resolution of no confidence, has been disputed. | ||
| Anatoliy Kinakh | 29 May 2001– 16 November 2002 | 16 November 2001– 21 November 2002 | Dismissed by President Kuchma | |
| Viktor Yushchenko | 22 December 1999– 26 April 2001 | 28 April 2001– 29 May 2001 | Resigned as a result of a resolution of no confidence. | |
| Valeriy Pustovoytenko | 16 July 1997– 30 November 1999 | 30 November 1999– 22 December 1999 | Resigned according to the Constitution of Ukraine at President Kuchma's second inauguration. | |
| Vasyl Durdynets | 19 June 1997– 16 July 1997 | Acting Prime Minister | ||
| Pavlo Lazarenko | 28 May 1996– 18 June 1997 | Appointed unilaterally by President Kuchma. On alleged sickness leave from 19 June 1997 to 2 July 1997, when his resignation was accepted. | ||
| Yevhen Marchuk | 6 March 1995– 7 June 1995 | 8 June 1995– 27 May 1996 | Appointed (edict) and dismissed (edict) unilaterally by President Kuchma. | |
| Vitaliy Masol | 16 June 1994– 6 March 1995 | On leave: 6 March 1995– 4 April 1995. Resigned as a result of retirement. On 4 April 1995, a resolution of non-confidence was passed by the parliament. | ||
| Yukhym Zvyahilsky | 22 September 1993– 15 June 1994 | Acting Prime Minister On 27 September 1993, President Kravchuk assumed direct control of the Cabinet until 1994-06. | ||
| Leonid Kuchma | 13 October 1992– 21 September 1993 | Submitted resignation to the parliament. | ||
| Valentyn Symonenko | 2 October 1992– 13 October 1992 | Acting Prime Minister | ||
| Vitold Fokin | 23 October 1990– 14 November 1990 | 14 November 1990– 1 October 1992 | Resigned as a result of retirement. | |
| Vitaliy Masol | 28 June 1990– 17 October 1990 | 17 October 1990– 23 October 1990 | Resigned as a result of student protests in Kyiv. |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine - official websitede:Liste der Ministerpräsidenten der Ukraine
fr:Premiers ministres de l'Ukraine id:Perdana Menteri Ukraina it:Primi Ministri dell'Ucraina lv:Ukrainas premjerministri nl:Lijst van premiers van Oekraïne ja:ウクライナの首相 pl:Premierzy Ukrainy ru:Премьер-министр Украины uk:Прем'єр-міністри України zh:乌克兰总理
