Over five years, Verkhovna Rada conducts 17,000 votes
According to estimates by the Chesno Movement, the Verkhovna Rada held 414 sessions in five years, including 363 plenary sessions and 51 extraordinary meetings. Altogether, these involved almost 17,000 individual votes, translating to roughly 47 hours of button-pressing at an average of 10 seconds per vote. Of these votes, 47% received more than 226 approvals (minimum needed for a vote to carry). The highest voting participation rate belongs to the faction “Servant of the People” with 78%, while the Opposition Platform – For Life faction, known for its pro-Russian stance, had the lowest participation at 45%. Following the 2019 elections, Ukraine’s first mono-coalition was formed in Parliament with the Servant of the People faction, initially comprising 252 members. As of today, the faction includes 233 MPs. However, an analysis of voting patterns shows that the Servant of the People faction managed to secure at least 226 votes (the threshold for a majority) on only 1,089 of nearly 8,000 legislative initiatives (including procedural ones), achieving this on their own just 14% of the time. The IX convocation of the Verkhovna Rada convened for the first time on August 29, 2019, with 422 of the 450 parliamentary seats filled. One MP was absent, and 27 seats remained vacant due to unheld elections in constituencies within the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. By the end of August 2024, 401 MPs were actively serving in Parliament.
USAID RADA: Next Generation supports establishment of Parliamentary Budget office
During a visit to the U.S. Congress, MP Pavlo Frolov held discussions with representatives of the Congressional Budget Office. This visit, supported by USAID RADA: Next Generation, underscores efforts to establish a Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO). Currently, three Program-supported experts are assisting Frolov and the VRU leadership in developing and evaluating three potential models for the PBO. These models will be presented and discussed with the VRU leadership to determine the most effective structure for Ukraine. USAID RADA: Next Generation also contributed to preparing the materials used during the meeting with the Congressional Budget Office. Establishing the PBO will enhance VRU’s oversight of public finances and its role in the budget process. By providing MPs with access to high-quality analytical data, the PBO will empower Parliament to make informed decisions, ensure greater transparency, and act as an equal participant in shaping the national budget.
USAID RADA: Next Generation experts join Ministry of Justice working group on democratic institutions roadmap
Program’s Stanislav Ivasyk, Head of the Research Department, and Alina Boiko, Senior Expert on Post-War Recovery and EU Accession, have joined a working group convened by Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice to develop the Roadmap for the Functioning of Democratic Institutions. The group’s inaugural meeting is set for November 15. The Verkhovna Rada has identified key priorities for the Roadmap, including:
USAID RADA: Next Generation facilitates expert discussion on amendments to coaching requirements in Ukraine
On November 12, the VRU Committee on Youth and Sports, with Program support, held a discussion on a draft law proposing amendments to Article 49 of the Law of Ukraine “On Physical Culture and Sports” (Reg. No. 11470, dated 09.08.2024). The draft law aims to clarify the qualifications required for specialists eligible to engage in coaching activities. The proposed amendments would allow professionals with significant sports experience to become coaches under specific conditions. The discussion highlighted the importance of balancing flexibility in recruitment with the need to maintain professional standards in sports education and training.
USAID RADA: Next Generation supports roundtable on honoring and supporting Ukraine's defenders
On November 14–15, the VRU Committee on Social Policy, with Program support, hosted a roundtable titled “Honor and Respect for Defenders” in Poltava. As part of the visit, the Subcommittee on Social Protection of Veterans' Rights toured key institutions supporting veterans in the Poltava region. These included the RECOVERY rehabilitation center, where they reviewed veteran rehabilitation conditions, and the V. Grechanyi Poltava Military and Physical Training Lyceum, where they met students and inspected facilities. The delegation also paid tribute to fallen defenders at the city’s central cemetery and held discussions at the Poltava Veterans' Center about enhancing support and infrastructure for veterans. The roundtable highlighted the need for clearer legal definitions for ‘families of fallen defenders’ and aligning laws on ATO participants with those for war veterans.
USAID RADA: Next Generation helps VRU to improve child rights policies and practices in Ukraine
On November 13, the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy hosted a training session for staff of the VRU and the VRU Research Service. The session was led by Margareth Etienne from Chicago’s University of Illinois, and focused on the impact of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Ukraine since its adoption in 1989. Approximately 20 participants attended the session, gaining valuable insights into the treaty's influence on child rights policies and practices in Ukraine.
USAID RADA: Next Generation raises expertise of MPs and VRU staff to strengthen the VRU’s EU integration capacity
On November 15, USAID RADA: Next Generation conducted an online lecture for Ukraine’s MPs and VRU staffers, featuring guest lecturers and practitioners Primož Vehar and Vladimir Medjak. The lecture covered the process of legislation harmonization. In total, more than 40 participants attended the first lecture. Currently, the Verkhovna Rada considers EU accession to be one of its priorities. Therefore, the Progran is helping the Ukrainian Parliament ensure the necessary expertise and institutional development to successfully implement European integration tasks, including the qualitative approximation of national legislation to the EU legal framework and effective negotiations on EU accession from the VRU side.