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Ukrainian Electoral Overhaul Gets Preliminary Approval

Ukrainian Electoral Overhaul Gets Preliminary Approval

(Bloomberg) -- Ukraine gave preliminary backing to an overhaul of the electoral system championed by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to improve the makeup of parliament.

The legislature on Tuesday in Kyiv backed a preliminary reading of the bill, which would eliminate single-seat constituencies and reduce the number of lawmakers by a third to 300. It still requires approval from the Constitutional Court before two more readings in parliament, the last of which must garner two-thirds support.

Zelenskiy, an ex-TV comic propelled to the presidency on promises to fight corruption, has long advocated for legislators to be chosen only through party lists.

Single-seat districts currently make up half of parliament’s 450 seats and have often been used as a way for tycoons, sports stars and celebrities to enter parliament. Ukraine abolished single constituencies for elections in 2006 but they were restored in 2011.

To contact the reporter on this story: Daryna Krasnolutska in Kyiv at dkrasnolutsk@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Balazs Penz at bpenz@bloomberg.net, Andrew Langley, Michael Winfrey

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