Choudhry joined constitutional experts to discuss constitutional challenges in Ukraine

 CT Director Sujit Choudhry joined top constitutional experts in Kiev, Ukraine on July 10th to discuss the semi-presidential system of government in Ukraine and the constitutional challenges it is currently facing.

The workshop was hosted by major think tank in Ukraine, the Center of Policy and Legal Reform  and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), an intergovernmental organization that supports sustainable democracy worldwide. The experts met together in Kiev to discuss how to better the governing process in Ukraine.

“It was a privilege to meet with some of the top researchers and constitutional experts in the capital of Ukraine to discuss executive powers,” Choudhry said. “Ukraine’s democratization has been unstable for the past two decades due to several factors, such as the concentration of power in the presidency, weak political parties, the electoral system for the legislature, and the separation  of powers within the dual executive between the Prime Minister and President.”

Choudhry was joined by Sumit Bisarya of International IDEA and Thomas Sidelius of Dalarna University. Roundtable participants included Vladimir Vasilenko, representative of Ukraine on UN Human Rights Council, Sergyi Holovatyi, Member of the Constitutional Commission of Ukraine and the Venice Commission, Viktor Musiaka, representative of the president in the Supreme Council 1996, Ihor Koliushko, Centre for Policy and Legal Reforms, former MP, and advisor to the President of Ukraine 2005-2006, confirmed, among many others.