Parliament will attempt to elect new PM today

An expected majority led by the ruling Party of Regions will attempt to approve the president’s nomination of Mykola Azarov to return to the post of prime minister on Dec. 12, the first session day of the newly elected parliament.  Azarov had been prime minister between March 2010 and December 2012, before submitting his resignation after his election to parliament. On Dec. 9, the president renominated Azarov to the post.

Zenon Zawada: The opposition claims Rada’s regulations don’t allow a vote for the prime minister until factions and committees are formed in the new parliament, yet the Party of Regions claims it has found a way without bending the rules. The bigger challenge will be recruiting a majority to support the vote. Azarov, 64, represents stability for many interests represented in parliament, but he’s also known as a pro-Russian ideologue, which concerns pragmatic business groups, even within the Party of Regions itself. Meanwhile, the Communist Party will be looking for concessions in exchange for its support.