AP News, October 25th, 2007
A court validated the results of parliamentary elections Thursday, opening the way for the formation of a government in this ex-Soviet republic struggling to emerge from prolonged political turmoil.
The move was likely to be welcomed by the two pro-Western Orange Revolution parties led by President Viktor Yushchenko and the charismatic opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.
Their main rival, the more Russia-friendly Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, was the top vote winner, but fell short of the Orange parties' combined total.
Ukraine's High Administrative Court threw out a lawsuit filed by five parties contesting the vote based on alleged violations. The decision allowed the official publication of the election results and enabled the new parliament to convene.
Yushchenko and Tymoshenko led the 2004 Orange Revolution protests that swept Yushchenko to the presidency. But the alliance fell apart when Yushchenko fired Tymoshenko as prime minister after seven months.
This time, the two have promised to work closely together to bring the country on a solid pro-Western course, conduct anti-corruption reform and raise living standards. An agreement reached between the parties last week would have Tymoshenko return as premier.
Ukrainian politics have been riven by a bitter power struggle between Yushchenko and Yanukovych since the tumultuous 2004 presidential race.
Yanukovych was initially declared the winner, but courts later judged that vote fraudulent and Yushchenko won a repeat election. Their standoff reached its peak earlier this year, when Yushchenko ordered parliament dissolved and called a new vote.
A majority coalition can be officially formed once parliament convenes. The legislature has about a month to convene after the official publication of the election results.
The parties of Yushchenko and Tymoshenko won 228 seats in the 450-member Verkhovna Rada, two seats more than a bare majority.
Yanukovych's Party of Regions had 175 seats.
