Disarray in the ruling party
Tension is growing in the Verkhovna Rada: the ruling faction 'Servant of the People', which has a formal majority, is showing a decline in discipline, gathering only 150-180 votes. This became particularly evident after the failure to pass the so-called 'OLX tax', where only 168 MPs expressed support, of which 126 represented 'Servant of the People'. The failure of this bill jeopardizes the receipt of a tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a loan from the European Union (EU), which is critically important for the economy during wartime.
Dissatisfaction with the government and pressure from law enforcement
Deputies express dissatisfaction with the work of the Cabinet of Ministers led by Yulia Svyrydenko, formed last summer. One member of parliament noted:
“Svyrydenko wants to play the excellent student and avoid any negativity. The Cabinet itself agreed to these initiatives - let them come and explain, convince, take responsibility. Instead, they've just dumped everything into parliament and forgotten about it.”
This quote vividly illustrates the absence of constructive dialogue between the government and the faction, leading to an increase in mutual grievances.
The work of parliamentarians is also paralyzed by the activities of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP). At the end of last year, several deputies from 'Servant of the People' were handed suspicions related to the 'envelope' scheme, creating an atmosphere of pressure. Since summer, the faction has stopped systematically gathering votes, and the role of the vote gatherer, previously held by Danil Getmantsev, has been transferred to Andrey Motovilovets. Meetings between President Volodymyr Zelensky and the faction occur extremely rarely, which also affects internal cohesion.
Searching for the guilty and scenarios for exit
Within the faction, there is a sentiment that 'a broad coalition is definitely not about us'. This indicates a growing understanding that the root of the problems lies not only with the leadership of the President's Office. One deputy noted:
“It has come to the realization that the issue lies not only with Ermak but also with the president himself. Moreover, a huge number of people in the faction still consider Zelensky a true leader and hero and say: we can also be useful - but we are not being used.”
The faction now faces serious challenges requiring urgent solutions. The package of resonant government initiatives includes:
- 'OLX tax',
- cancellation of duty-free parcel imports,
- fixing the military tax at 5%,
- mandatory VAT payment for individual entrepreneurs with income over UAH 4 million.
It has become the target of severe criticism. Real scenarios for exiting the crisis include reducing the activity of NABU and SAP, restoring dialogue between the Cabinet and the Rada, as well as a possible partial renewal of the government. The current situation reflects broader political and economic challenges facing Ukraine and may have long-term implications for the stability of reforms and international support.
In the context of the growing crisis within the 'Servant of the People' faction, it is crucial to understand the factors contributing to the loss of the majority. In particular, the complex relationships with the government and pressure from anti-corruption bodies play a significant role in deteriorating the situation. To learn more about the reasons behind the parliamentary crisis and its possible consequences, read our detailed analysis in our article on problems of the ruling faction.