2. In the sentences below substitute the italicized elements with the words and word combinations from column a in the table above.

1. According to the Constitution, the demonstration of the Ukrainian citizens’ preferences should be exercised through various forms of direct democracy. 2. All elections to bodies of government should be held on the basis of general, equal and direct right to vote in national elections. 3. All citizens who have reached the age of eighteen, and who have not been declared incompetent by a court, have the right to vote, but their involvement in the elections should be chosen by them without pressure. 4. The Constitution bans to use brutality, threats, deceiving, corruption or any other acts blocking the free demonstration of the Ukrainian citizens’ preferences. 5. The stages of the election process include the formation of election zones, putting together the lists of voters, their review and correction, suggestion of candidates, running the pre-election campaign, calculation of the votes and some others.

3. Work in pairs. Discuss the following questions. What are elections usually held for? What does free expression of will mean? What stages does the election process in Ukraine include?

4. Work in pairs. Read the text and fill in the table below it.

Elections in ukraine

The Constitution of Ukraine provides that the expression of the will of the people is exercised through elections, referendums and other forms of direct democracy. Elections of President of Ukraine, as well as elections to bodies of state power and bodies of local self-government, are held on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage. Citizens of Ukraine who have attained the age of eighteen, and who have not been declared incapable by a court decision, have the right to vote. The participation of citizens of Ukraine in the elections is voluntary. It is prohibited to use violence, threats, cheating, bribery or any other acts impeding the free formation and free expression of the will of a voter. The election process includes the following stages: 1) the formation of territorial election districts; 2) the formation of election precincts; 3) the formation of election commissions; 4) the compilation of lists of voters, their revision and update; 5) the nomination and registration of candidates; 6) the conduct of the pre-election campaign; 7) voting on the day of elections; 8) the count of the votes and the determination of the results of the vote.

I V>"-. J.' " , & , »	ELECTIONS Щ UKRAINE
are based on
Minimum voting age
Restrictions on the minimum voting age
Participation in elections (voluntary/involuntary)
What is prohibited
W* , STAGES OF THE ELECTION PROCESS'^ > -
1
2
3
4

5

5. Work in pairs. Describe the election process in Ukraine using the table above.

6. Translate into English

1. Якщо парламент прийме цю поправку, ми будемо обирати президента України за кілька місяців. 2. Оскільки два тижні тому суд визнав його недієздатним, він не буде брати участь у цих виборах. 3. Центральна виборча комісія на даний момент реєструє кандидатів. 4. Восени наступного року вони будуть проводити передвиборчу агітацію.

5. Чому вони так довго формували виборчі дільниці? 6. Участь у виборах є добровільною, чи не так? 7. Вони рахували голоси впродовж усієї ночі і встановили результати голосування тільки на ранок наступного дня. 8. Вони склали списки виборців минулого року, а тепер збираються перевірити й уточнити їх. 9. Підкуп та обман перешкоджають вільному формуванню волі виборців та її вільному виявленню. 10. Раніше існувало набагато менше форм безпосередньої демократії.

7. 

   Listen to the text on the elections of President and legislature in Ukraine and fill in the gaps in the sentences. You will hear the text twice. Use the Vocabulary Section if you need it.

Ukraine elects the president and (1) on the national level.

President of Ukraine is (2) by the citizens of Ukraine for

a five-year term, by (3) ballot. The same person cannot

serve as (4) of Ukraine for more than two consecutive

(5). A candidate may be (6) by a party or

by an election bloc of (7). The winner is the

(8) who has got 50 percent of (9) cast. If

no candidate succeeds in it, a repeat (10) is called and

the two candidates who have won the largest (11) of

votes are included into the (12) ballot. Dramatic

political developments in Ukraine have caused repeated changes of the

parliamentary (13) system. The Parliament (Verkhovna

Rada) of each new (14) has been elected under a

different set of (15). Since 2006 all 450 members have been (16)

by proportional representation. In this system the share of (17) held by a political

party in the (18) corresponds to the share of (19) votes it

received, thus providing for a more accurate reflection of (20) opinion.

According to Ukraine's (21), only parties and (22) that got

minimum three per cent of the (23) take part in the distribution of

(24) mandates. People's deputies of Ukraine are elected for a 5-year

(25).

8. Read the text from the Kyiv Post on political parties in Ukraine. Then fill in the scheme below. Use the Vocabulary Section if you need it. POLITICAL PARTIES IN UKRAINE

Ukraine has a multiparty system allowing for greater representation of minority viewpoints. This system is the means of solving political conflict within pluralistic societies and is thus characteristic of democracy. More than 160 political parties have been registered by Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. Many of them have tiny memberships and are unknown to the general public. Small and medium-size parties often join in multi-party electoral blocs for the purpose of participating in parliamentary elections. Any single party has little chance of gaining power alone. To achieve a governing majority parties and blocs must form coalitions, which are often fragile and may cause instability.

Public opinion polls show that Ukrainian voters want to know about parties’ post-election coalition plans before they cast their electoral bulletin into the ballot box. Two-third of voters would like to know who the party would nominate for prime minister and for ministerial posts in the future government and what the parties’ post-election alliance plans in parliament are. Over half of the voters want to hear how parties would ensure economic growth, raise wages and end unemployment. Ukrainians expect better medical services and would like to see the government take care of society’s needy. Voters also want to know how parties propose to end crime and corruption. According to the latest public opinion polls, issues of foreign policy, democracy, freedom of speech and human rights were important for less than 10 percent of respondents. More than 18 percent are concerned about the environment, while only 12 percent feel that granting the Russian language official status is an important issue. Thus any party seeking the support of Ukrainian voters should take into account what they think.

PUBLIC OPINION POLLS: UKRAINIAN VOTERS’ EXPECTATIONS FROM POLITICAL PARTIES
MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES (OVER 50%)	LESS IMPORTANT ISSUES (BELOW 50%)

9. At home compare and contrast the party system of Ukraine and that of the USA or Britain. In which ways are they similar and in which different? Don’t give separate descriptions of each system. You may use the clues in the boxes below. There is a possible beginning of your essay below the boxes. See also: Opinion Essays in the Recommendations on Creative Writing Work.