Petro Poroshenko Bloc "Solidarity"

Petro Poroshenko Bloc "Solidarity"
Блок Петра Порошенка «Солідарність»
Leader and founder Petro Poroshenko
President Vitali Klitschko[1]
Slogan Time to Unite
Founded (In its current form) August 27, 2014 (2014-08-27)[2]
Headquarters Kiev
Ideology Liberal conservatism[3][4][5]
Pro-Europeanism
Political position Centre-right[6]
International affiliation None
Colours          Red, White
Verkhovna Rada[7]
142 / 450
Regions (2015)[8]
8,804 / 158,399
Website
solydarnist.org
Politics of Ukraine
Political parties
Elections

Petro Poroshenko Bloc "Solidarity" (Ukrainian: Блок Петра Порошенка «Солідарність», Blok Petra Poroshenka «Solydarnist») is a political party in Ukraine created on August 27, 2014. However it has its roots in a parliamentary faction called Solidarity created in 2000[9] and has existed since in various forms as a political outlet of Petro Poroshenko.

The party won the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election with 132 seats, more than any other party.[10][11]

On 28 August 2015 the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform merged into the party.[1] Subsequently UDAR party leader and Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko became the new party head, replacing Yuriy Lutsenko.[1]

History

Solidarity (2001–2002)

The party started in 2000 as a parliamentary faction called "Solidarity",[9] set up by Petro Poroshenko, until then a member of the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united) faction.[12][13] Taras Kuzio claims that this happened with the help of then President Kuchma, who allegedly wanted to limit the influence of the SDPU(u).[12] Many deputies elected in 1998 for the Peasant Party of Ukraine and Hromada joined the new parliamentary faction.[12][14] Based on his parliamentary faction Poroshenko eventually established the Party of Ukraine's Solidarity.[14][15] In 2000 that party merged into what would become the Party of Regions (later to become for a period the biggest party of Ukraine[16]) and Poroshenko became a Party of Regions deputy.[14]

In 2001 Porroshenko expressed interest in the creation of the Our Ukraine Bloc.[14] However in order to receive quote in Our Ukraine he had to joined the bloc with his whole party.[14]<,ref name=Twice2713 /> The Party of Ukraine's Solidarity failed to break away from the Party of Regions, therefore Poroshenko decided to create a new phantom party with a similar name, the party "Solidarity".[14] At the 2002 parliamentary elections Solidarity was able to join Our Ukraine.[17] Top party members who received a parliamentary mandate on party list of the Our Ukraine electoral bloc in 2002 were Volodymyr Plyutynsky, Volodymyr Makeyenko, Eduard Matviychuk, Anatoliy Korchynsky, while a single constituency in Vinnytsia Oblast was won by Petro Poroshenko.

After 2002 Solidarity stopped participating in elections.[9][18] In 2004, the party left Our Ukraine, and was represented by 23 deputies in the Verkhovna Rada (the forming of new factions whose parties were not directly elected into parliament was not unique in Ukraine at the time.)[19] In March 2013 the Ministry of Justice asked the Central Election Commission of Ukraine for evidence that Solidarity had not been involved in elections since 2003.[14]

On 17 June 2013 Fatherland member of parliament Yuriy Stets became head of the party.[20] Stets was a member of the united opposition's political council.[20]

On 16 October 2013 a court cancelled the registration certificate of Solidarity.[14] The party could have challenged this on appeal, but did not[14] and was legally eliminated on 31 December 2013 "due to lack of reporting".[21] and because for more than 10 years had not participated in any election.[14]

Petro Poroshenko Bloc

Early in 2014 Poroshenko became leader of the National Alliance of freedom and Ukrainian patriotism "OFFENSIVE", which was renamed "All-Ukrainian Union Solidarity".[14][21] By doing so, Poroshenko de facto prolonged the life of Solidarity and de facto merged the National Alliance of freedom and Ukrainian patriotism "OFFENSIVE" into Solidarity[14][21] (legally the original party "Solidarity" does not exist anymore[14][21]). In May and June 2014, Ukrayinska Pravda characterised the party as "a myth with no website, unknown phone numbers and non existing addresses".[14][21] At the 2014 presidential election, Poroshenko was elected President of Ukraine.[22][23][24][25][26]

During a 27 August 2014 party congress, the "All-Ukrainian Union Solidarity" changed its name to "Bloc of Petro Poroshenko",[27] and elected the former Minister of Internal Affairs, Yuriy Lutsenko, as the new leader of the party.[27]

On 2 September, Vitaliy Kovalchuk, the parliamentary leader of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform, stated that since his party and the Petro Poroshenko Bloc had agreed to joint participation in parliamentary elections on 29 March 2014, the two parties were in discussion about running a joint list at the October 26 parliamentary election.[28] On 15 September it became clear that 30% of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc election list would be filled by members of UDAR and that UDAR leader Vitali Klitschko is at the top of this list, Klitschko vowed not to resign as incumbent Mayor of Kiev.[29] According to political scientist Tadeusz A. Olszański (in mid-September 2014) this deal with UDAR "enables it to use that party's large-scale structures, which the Poroshenko Bloc itself lacks".[30]

Party support (% of the votes cast) in different regions of Ukraine (in the 2014 election).

The party won the parliamentary election with 132 seats, beating the runner-up People's Front, who won 82 seats.[11] People's Front was first in the nationwide party vote (22.14% against 21.81%) but the party won 69 constituency seats while People's Front won only 18.[11] On 27 November 2014, the party formed a parliamentary faction of 145 people (at the opening session of the new parliament).[31]

On 21 November 2014 the party became a member of the coalition supporting the current second Yatsenyuk Government and endorsed nine new ministers for the government.[32][33]

In March 2015 "Solidarity" was added to the name "Bloc of Petro Poroshenko" and party leader Lutsenko announced that the party preferred to be referred to as "Solidarity" because "We need to move away from forming parties with one leader".[34][35]

On 28 August 2015 UDAR and Petro Poroshenko Bloc officially merged into Petro Poroshenko Bloc.[1] UDAR party leader Vitali Klitschko became so the new party leader.[1]

The party was one of the winners of the 2015 Ukrainian local elections.[36] It did well in West and central Ukraine and Kherson Oblast.[37][38]

According to Ukrainian media research of February 2016 22% of the parties representatives in regional councils and 12% of the parties parliamentary deputies were former members of the Party of Regions.[39]

Ideology and positions

Although the party's leadership (Poroshenko and Lutsenko) comes from a centre-left and social democratic background, it is difficult to classify the party's ideology on a left-right spectrum. The party officially decries populism and advocates for pragmatism and realism.[40] According to Oleg Varfolomeyev of the Eurasia Daily Monitor the party is a liberal party (and UDAR was also).[41]

In the War in Donbass the party advocates an end to the conflict by peaceful means.[30]

The party broadly reflects Poroshenko's ideology. On 27 August 2014 newly elected party leader Yuriy Lutsenko stated that the Petro Poroshenko Bloc should help Poroshenko implement his election promises.[42] Official party positions include:[40]

Party leaders

Date Party leader
2001–2001 Mykhailo Antonyuk
2001–2002 Petro Poroshenko[45]
2002–2013 Party inactive
2013–2014 Yuriy Stets[20]
2014–2015 Yuriy Lutsenko
2015–present Vitali Klitschko

Election results

Election results for Solidarity political party and Petro Poroshenko Bloc.

Verkhovna Rada

Solidarity
Year Popular vote % of popular vote Overall seats won Seat change Government
2002 Our Ukraine
5 / 450
 Increase 5 Opposition
2006 Did not participate
2007
2012
Petro Poroshenko Bloc
Year Popular vote % of popular vote Overall seats won Seat change Government
2014 3,433,336 21.83%
132 / 450
 Increase 132 Coalition government

Presidential elections

Election year Candidate # of 1st round votes % of 1st round vote # of 2nd round votes % of 2nd round vote Won/Loss
2014 Petro Poroshenko 9,857,308 54.7 Won

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Klitschko becomes leader of Petro Poroshenko Bloc 'Solidarity' party". Interfax-Ukraine. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  2. ↑ Про партію [About the party]. Petro Poroshenko Bloc Solidarity official website. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Petro Poroshenko Bloc: Facts and Details". Sputnik. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Yatsenyuk, Poroshenko Parties Hold Lead in Ukraine Parliamentary Elections". Sputnik. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Parties and Elections in Europe". Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "Pro-European parties gain majority in Ukrainian parliament elections". Tradebridgeconsultants.com. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  7. ↑ Депутатські фракції і групи VIII скликання: Назва депутатської фракції чи групи [Deputation factions and groups of the VIII convening: Name of the deputation faction or group] (in Ukrainian). Verkhovna Rada official website. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  8. ↑ Кандидати, яких обрано депутатами рад. www.cvk.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 15 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 (Ukrainian) Databases ASD: Political parties in Ukraine
  10. ↑ Ian Bateson; Olena Goncharova; Kyiv Post staff (29 October 2014). "Poroshenko and Yatsenyuk's parties maneuver for lead role in coalition". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
    "New Verkhovna Rada". Kyiv Post. 30 October 2014. Archived from the original on 31 October 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 "Poroshenko Bloc to have greatest number of seats in parliament". Ukrinform. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
    "People's Front 0.33% ahead of Poroshenko Bloc with all ballots counted in Ukraine elections - CEC". Interfax-Ukraine. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
    "Poroshenko Bloc to get 132 seats in parliament - CEC". Interfax-Ukraine. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 Ukrainian Political Update by Taras Kuzio and Alex Frishberg, Frishberg & Partners, 21 February 2008 (page 22)
  13. ↑ Chocolate tycoon heads for landslide victory in Ukraine presidential election, The Guardian (23 May 2014)
    The Return of the Prodigal Son, Who Never Left Home, The Ukrainian Week (30 March 2012)
    Who will lead Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and where?, Den (27 February 2014)
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 (Ukrainian) Poroshenko goes to work, Ukrayinska Pravda (6 June 2014)
  15. ↑ "New "region" formed in Ukrainian Parliament" (PDF). Central European University. 26 March 2001. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  16. ↑ After the parliamentary elections in Ukraine: a tough victory for the Party of Regions, Centre for Eastern Studies (7 November 2012)
  17. ↑ Communist and Post-Communist Parties in Europe, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2008, ISBN 3-525-36912-3 (page 391)
  18. ↑ (Ukrainian) Results of voting in single constituencies in 2012 & Nationwide list, Central Election Commission of Ukraine
  19. ↑ Ukraine Political Parties, GlobalSecurity.org (Archived from the original on 17 November 2014)
  20. 1 2 3 United Twice, The Ukrainian Week (2 July 2013)
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 (Ukrainian) Poroshenko and void, Ukrayinska Pravda (16 May 2014)
  22. ↑ "Ukraine talks set to open without pro-Russian separatists". The Washington Post. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  23. ↑ "Ukraine elections: Runners and risks". BBC News Online. 22 May 2014. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  24. ↑ "Q&A: Ukraine presidential election". BBC News. 7 February 2010. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  25. ↑ "Poroshenko wins presidential election with 54.7% of vote — CEC". Radio Ukraine International. 29 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
    Внеочередные выборы Президента Украины [Results election of Ukrainian president]. telegraf.com.ua (in Russian). 29 May 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  26. ↑ "New Ukrainian president will be elected for 5-year term – Constitutional Court". Interfax-Ukraine. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  27. 1 2 Poroshenko wants coalition to be formed before parliamentary elections, Interfax-Ukraine (27 August 2014)
    Solidarity Party to be renamed Bloc of Petro Poroshenko – congress, Interfax-Ukraine (27 August 2014)
  28. ↑ (Ukrainian) Block Poroshenko and kick off to the polls together, TVi (2 September 2014)
  29. ↑ (Russian) Pilots, combat, and journalists. Who goes to the new Verkhovna Rada , Korrespondent.net (September 15, 2014)
    Klitschko: I lead my team to Parliament, UDAR official website (14.09.2014)
    Deadline for nomination of candidates running in early election to Rada expires, ITAR-TASS (September 15, 2014)
  30. 1 2 Tadeusz A. Olszański (17 September 2014). "Ukraine's political parties at the start of the election campaign". Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW). Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  31. ↑ (Ukrainian) In Parliament created a faction, Ukrayinska Pravda (27 November 2014)
  32. ↑ "Rada supports coalition-proposed government lineup". Interfax-Ukraine. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
    Kyiv Post staff writers; Oksana Grytsenko (2 December 2014). "Rada approves new Cabinet with three foreigners". Kyiv Post. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
    Рада проголосувала новий кабмін [Rada voted in a new cabinet]. Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 2 December 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  33. ↑ "Five political forces sign coalition agreement". Interfax-Ukraine. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
    "Ukraine's parliamentary parties initial coalition agreement". Interfax-Ukraine. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  34. ↑ "Bloc of Petro Poroshenko to change name". Ukrinform.net. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  35. ↑ "'Poroshenko' is Getting Tossed From His Own Party". Sputniknews.com. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  36. ↑ Poroshenko Bloc, Batkivschyna, Nash Kray get largest number of seats in local councils – Ukrainian Voters Committee, Interfax-Ukraine (12 November 2015)
  37. ↑ Why a 'Star Wars' Emperor Won Office in Ukraine, Bloomberg News (26 October 2015)
    Exit Polls Show Ukraine Divided For, Against Poroshenko Rule, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (27 October 2015)
    After Ukraine’s Local Elections: Early Misinterpretations, Carnegie Europe (27 October 2015)
    Poroshenko hobbles on, Politico Europe (26 October 2015)
    Week’s milestones. Elections to be continued, blackmail in Minsk, and emotional lustration, UNIAN (27 October 2015)
  38. ↑ www.cvk.gov.ua (Ukrainian)
  39. ↑ (Ukrainian) Media: the BPP 22% of the members of regional councils and 12% of MPs - ex- "Regions", Ukrayinska Pravda (February 7, 2016)
  40. 1 2 "ПРОГРАМА ПАРТІЇ".
  41. ↑ Oleg Varfolomeyev (18 September 2015). "Ukraine's pro-government parties join forces ahead of local elections". Ukrainian Weekly. Eurasia Daily Monitor. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  42. ↑ (Ukrainian) Poroshenko will be honorary leader of "Solidarity" party can head Lutsenko, Ukrayinska Pravda (27 August 2014)
  43. ↑ Poroshenko Block ready to vote for scrapping presidential immunity - Lutsenko, Interfax-Ukraine (27.10.2014)
  44. ↑ Bloc of Petro Poroshenko proposes privatization of mines, exchange trading in coal be fixed in coalition agreement, Interfax-Ukraine (29 October 2014)
  45. ↑ Party Solidarnist at the Political compass of a electorate

External links

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