The CEC calls for the adoption of a law on post-war elections: what will change for Ukrainians.

According to ТСН: After the war in Ukraine ends, conducting elections will require the development of special legislation that takes into account post-war realities.

Chairman of the Central Election Commission Oleg Didenko emphasized that the usual electoral rules will not be able to fully ensure the organization of voting after hostilities. He believes that a separate law needs to be adopted that will define specific procedures and mechanisms for conducting elections in wartime.

Didenko also stressed that this law should regulate the conduct of elections in specific territories, especially in regions that have suffered significant destruction or lost population due to the war.

The head of the CEC reminded that the relevant draft law was prepared back in 2022 and submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. After that, the document was discussed with international partners, but it is currently not registered in the parliament.

Didenko emphasized that the issue of conducting elections in destroyed or sparsely populated communities cannot be resolved locally; a clear legislative framework is needed for that.

The government’s position on elections

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky expressed readiness to hold elections with support from the USA and European allies. These statements were made against the backdrop of discussions on peace initiatives that envisage the electoral process after signing an agreement.

Furthermore, Zelensky called on parliament to prepare the necessary changes to legislation. At the end of December, a special working group was created in the Verkhovna Rada to consider the possibility of holding elections during martial law. Speaker of the parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk announced that the relevant law would be one-time, and the Central Election Commission has resumed the work of the State Register of Voters.

At the same time, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov emphasized that Ukraine is currently not preparing for online voting. He noted that fully digital elections will require long-term technical and legislative elaboration, as well as a high level of public trust.

Thus, the issue of conducting elections in Ukraine after the end of the war remains relevant. The need to create a new legislative framework is driven by the changes that the country’s territories have undergone as a result of hostilities. The adoption of the relevant law will be an important step towards restoring democratic processes in the state, which is why active work is underway to prepare it.