Ukraine parliament approves constitutional court reforms

Ukraine’s parliament voted on July 13 to approve reforms to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, which is a separate court that reviews complaints on whether the government has violated the constitution. The law changes the structure and authority of the court, as well as the procedure to review complaints, as reported by the Ukrainian News agency. It also introduces a competitive hiring process for its judges, instead of direct appointments by the president. During the heated parliamentary session that involved shoving between MPs, critics argued the bill gives the court excessive authority, such as halting any legislative norm whose constitutionality is being questioned. They also argue that the law in essence enables the president to secure three direct appointments.