Opposition threatens to give up parliamentary seats

Ukraine’s leading opposition party, Fatherland, threatened to give up its seats in the next parliament amid claims of fraud in the October 28 election, according to a statement posted on its website yesterday. Fatherland hopes this maneuver will force new parliamentary and presidential elections in Ukraine. The opposition also plans to hold a protest rally against election fraud in Kyiv today.

Brad Wells: Fatherland’s threats look a bit hallow; It will find it difficult to get the consent of all of its elected MPs to give up their mandates for the next Verkhovna Rada. The size and duraction of today’s protest will be particularly telling – if they can manage a strong and sustained effort, their appeals stand a chance of eventually being heard. However, we believe most Ukrainians have long since resigned themselves to the fact that 2012 is not 2004, and given the ruling party’s control over most major levels of government, they are fighting an uphill battle.