Ukraine 2015 Local Elections: EPDE Experts Reports

During the Local Elections in Ukraine held on October 25 and November 15, 2015 20 EPDE experts and observers analyzed key issues of the election process. The project was founded by the European Union, the German Association for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Polish-German Cooperation Foundation.

Arkadii Lubarev from the Association Golos, Moscow, analyzed the implication of the new local election law adopted shortly before the elections. Steffen Halling from the Berlin based German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) monitored the highly unpredictable outcome of the election campaign in the Donbass region controled by the Ukrainian government. Anton Shekhovtsov from the Legatum Institute (London) researched the quality and impartiality of the international election observation missions. Elena Nezhiradze (Tbilisi) analyzed the disputed voting oportunities for the Internally Displaced Persons in Ukraine.

Additionally, 15 EPDE short-term observers from Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Germany, Moldova, Norway, Poland and Russia monitored the election day proceedings with the support of the civic observers from the Civic Network Opora and the Committee of Voters of Ukraine.

Expert analysis and assessments

Arkadii Lubarev from the Association GOLOS, Moscow, analysed the implication of the new local election law which was adopted shortly before elections without public debate. The expert criticize the complicated structure and implementation and does not recommend to apply this law for the future elections since it generates disputes as seen during city council elections in St Petersburg 2017-2011.

See here for a series of preliminary assessments and conclusions (in Russian, English version to be published by the end of November):

Local elections in Ukraine-2015. Part 1: the electoral law and the electoral system: http://www.golosinfo.org/ru/articles/54651

Local elections in Ukraine-2015. Part 2: The party system: http://www.golosinfo.org/ru/articles/54941

Local elections in Ukraine-2015. Part 4: Registration of party lists and candidates: http://www.golosinfo.org/ru/articles/55021

Local elections in Ukraine-2015. Part 5: Agitation campaign - general perspective: http://www.golosinfo.org/ru/articles/56111

Local elections in Ukraine-2015. Part 6: Street campaign: http://www.golosinfo.org/ru/articles/56271

Local elections in Ukraine-2015. Part 7: Voting preparation, voting, counting of votes: http://www.golosinfo.org/ru/articles/57201

Local elections in Ukraine-2015. Part 8: Election results - parties breakdown: http://www.golosinfo.org/ru/articles/57261

Local elections in Ukraine-2015. Part 9: The election results -representation voters: http://www.golosinfo.org/ru/articles/57401

Other analysis will be available by the End of November

Individual reports of EPDE short-term observers

The reports were drafted in the framework of an EPDE expert mission and are available in Russian, English or Polish here.

The final report conducted by Promo-LEX you can find here.