Olena Kyiivets Recognized as Member of Parliament
Ukraine's Central Election Commission (CEC) has officially declared Olena Kyiivets a Member of Parliament. This follows the early termination of the parliamentary mandate of Daria Volodina, who was elected on July 21, 2019, from the nationwide multi-mandate constituency as a candidate for the Servant of the People party. Volodina's resignation was based on a personal statement she submitted.
The CEC acted upon a resolution from the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) which stated that 'the powers of MP Daria Volodina have been terminated early in connection with a personal statement.' Following this decision, made at a session on April 8, the total number of MPs decreased to 392. The constitutional composition of the Verkhovna Rada is 450 elected deputies. This appointment process is a standard constitutional procedure for filling vacancies in Ukraine's legislature.
Background and Qualifications of Olena Kyiivets
Olena Kyiivets was listed at position 161 on the Servant of the People party list for the 2019 elections. Born on November 1, 1977, in Kyiv, she is a graduate of the National Academy of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and holds a Doctor of Juridical Sciences degree.
In 2016, she co-founded the public organization 'League of Law Professors' together with Ruslan Stefanchuk, who is now the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada. During the 2019 parliamentary elections, she ran as a non-partisan candidate on the Servant of the People party ticket.
After reviewing the relevant documents, the CEC recognized Olena Kyiivets—the next candidate in line on the party list—as the elected MP for Ukraine from the specified elections. She therefore assumes Volodina's seat in the Verkhovna Rada. This change underscores the ongoing political dynamics within Ukraine's governing party and parliament.
The recent appointment of Olena Kyiivets as an MP comes after the acceptance of Daria Volodina's resignation, which has led to a notable shift in the composition of Ukraine's parliament. This transition highlights the ongoing adjustments within the Verkhovna Rada as it adapts to changes in its membership and political landscape.