Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc

Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc Блок "Наша Україна–Народна Самооборона"
Leader	Viktor Yuschenko (chief of the political council)[1] Mykola Martynenko (parliamentary fraction leader)[2]
Founded	2001
Headquarters	Kiev, Ukraine
Ideology	Liberalism,[3][4] Conservatism,[5] Reformism,[6]
International affiliation	none
European affiliation	European People's Party (observer only; NSNU and Rukh as separate member parties)[7]
Official colours	Orange
Website
http://nuns.com.ua/
Politics of Ukraine Political parties Elections

The Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc (Ukrainian: Блок Наша Україна–Народна Самооборона, Blok Nasha Ukrayina-Narodna Samooborona, OU-PSD) is an electoral alliance active in Ukraine, associated with President Viktor Yushchenko. Since 2005, the bloc has been dominated by a core consisting of the People's Union "Our Ukraine" party and five smaller partner parties.

The Our Ukraine Bloc is most closely associated with the Orange Revolution and continues to use orange as its political colour. In July 2007, the old Our Ukraine bloc had been reorganized into the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc for the 2007 parliamentary election in September 2007.^[8] The member parties had planned to merge into a single party in December 2007^[9] but on November 16, 2007 People’s Self-Defense decided to end its participation in the process of forming a united party^[10] since then that process is unclear^[11]. The alliance currently holds 72 out of 450 parliamentary seats.

Current members

The current members of the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc include:

History

The original Our Ukraine Bloc was formed in Kiev (Kyiv), Ukraine in 2001 in preparation for the 2002 parliamentary elections. At the time of its formation, the leader of the bloc was Viktor Yushchenko.

Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2002

At the 2002 legislative elections, won 23.6% of the popular vote and 112 out of 450 seats. It was the first time when Communists failed to take the first place in vote. The alliance included the following parties:

In September 2002 the bloc was negotiating with nine pro-presidential (Kuchma) factions to form a coalition, a draft of a coalition agreement prepared by Our Ukraine faction member Yuri Kostenko and Labor Ukraine leader Serhiy Tyhypko was received by all faction leaders on September 20, 2009 (except by the leaders of the Socialist Party of Ukraine, the Communist Party and the Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko).^[18][19] However the coalition never materialised.

Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2006

A map showing the results of Our Ukraine in Ukraine's oblasts during the 2006 parliamentary election.

During the election campaign some Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc members suspected Our Ukraine to be responsible for leaflets aimed against Yulia Tymoshenko, like fake invitations to celebrate her birthday at McDonald's.^[20][21]

The "Our Ukraine" bloc was soundly defeated in the 2006 Ukrainian parliamentary election with only 13,95% of the recorded vote came in third place behind the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc - 22% 156 seats, and the Party of Regions -33% 175 seats.^[22] It won 81 out of 450 seats.

The alliance included the following parties:

• People's Union Our Ukraine
• Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Ukraine
• People's Movement of Ukraine
• Christian Democratic Union
• Ukrainian Republican Party Assembly
• Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists

Following the elections there has been calls for Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko who was closely aligned and spokesperson for Our Ukraine during the March Parliamentary election to resign from Our Ukraine and to stand independent.

Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2007

A map showing the results of Our Ukraine (percentage of total national vote) per region for the 2007 parliamentary election.

During the early parliamentary elections held on September 30, 2007, the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc was placed in third place, after the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and Party of Regions^[23]. Our Ukraine-People's Self Defence bloc received 14.16% of the vote, 236964 less votes in 2007 than the Our Ukraine bloc received in 2006, representing an overall swing of 0.20%.

The alliance included the following parties:

On October 15, 2007, despite the Party of Regions gaining the most seats of all participating political parties, Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc agreed to form a majority coalition in the new parliament of the 6th convocation.^[31] On November 29, a coalition was signed between the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc (representing 45% of the national vote^[32]). On December 18, 2007, Yulia Tymoshenko, with a margin of two votes, was elected Prime Minister.^[33]

Resignations and creation of United Centre

In February 2008 several prominent members resigned from the party.^[34] Viktor Baloha, Head of the President's Secretariat resigned on February 15 (to lift the issue of the correlation between the authorities as the President’s Chief of Staff and as a member of the OU-PSD presidium).^[35] Roman Bezsmertny, high ranked party official, along with people’s deputies, Mykhaylo Polyanchych, Ihor Kryl, Viktor Topolov, Oksana Bilozir and Vasyl Petevka resigned on February 20, in a joint statement the declared that: "some of the leaders of the party play their own game, coming from personal interests and it has nothing to do with responsibility, pluralism and norms of democracy."^[36] Some of them formed United Centre^[37] who are expected to participate in the next parliamentary election independently^[38]. One of the main goals of this new party is: "assisting President Viktor Yuschenko to realize its program of actions"^[39].

Next Ukrainian parliamentary election

On October 21 the presidium of People’s Union Our Ukraine party decided not to team up with any other party for the upcoming snap parliamentary poll and called the idea of teaming up with United Center Party "impossible".^[40][41] According to UNIAN the People’s Union Our Ukraine and United Centre parties will carry out a unifying congress on January 17, 2009. The People’s Democratic party may join the move.^[42]

On October 23 the Christian Democratic Union left the alliance and became part of the Leonid Chernovetskyi Bloc^[43].

After a coalition was formed mid-December between Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc (OU-OSD), Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) and Lytvyn Bloc (LB) Yushchenko told journalists: "The fact is that the so-called coalition was formed on basis of political corruption, this coalition will be able to work only if the Communist Party will join it. Speaking about such a type of coalition, it is even more shameful." Victor Yushchenko also stated that Yulia Tymoshenko’s desire to keep the Prime Minister's job was the main motive for creating the coalition and that he wanted to expel the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc lawmakers who supported the creating of the OU-PSD, BYuT and LB coalition from the list of members of parliament. According to the President Our Ukraine decided earlier at a party confession that it was impossible to resume its coalition with BYuT.^[44][45] Yuschenko described this as "a positive process, a process of purification. I have long waited that our people decide on their political choice, on their place in the party. They have made their choice, and I respect it".^[46]

Results per region

2002		2006		2007

References

See also

• Liberalism in Ukraine
• Liberalism in Europe

External links

• "Official web-site". Official web-site of Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc. http://nuns.com.ua. Retrieved 2007-10-02. 

v • d • e Political parties in Ukraine Parliamentary blocs and parties Party of Regions (175) Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (156) (All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" • Reforms and Order Party • Ukrainian Social Democratic Party) Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc (72) (People's Union "Our Ukraine" • Christian Democratic Union • Forward, Ukraine! • People's Movement of Ukraine • Ukrainian People's Party • Ukrainian Republican Party Assembly • European Party of Ukraine • PORA • Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists • Motherland Defenders Party) Communist Party of Ukraine (27) Lytvyn Bloc (20) (People's Party • Labour Party of Ukraine) Extra-parliamentary blocs and parties All-Ukrainian Union "Freedom" • Leonid Chernovetskyi Bloc (Christian Liberal Party of Ukraine) • United Centre • Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine • Ukrainian Regional Asset (People's Democratic Party • Democratic Party of Ukraine • Republican Christian Party) • Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united) • Bloc of the Party of Pensioners of Ukraine (Party of Pensioners of Ukraine • Party of Protection of Pensioners of Ukraine) • KUCHMA Electoral Bloc of Political Parties (Party "Union" • All-Ukrainian Union "Center") • Peasants' Bloc "Agrarian Ukraine" (Rural Revival Party • People's Party New Ukraine) • Front of Changes • Internet Party of Ukraine • Justice Party • Union of Leftists • Communist Party of Ukraine (renewed) • Ukrainian People's Bloc (Political Party "Cathedral Ukraine" • All-Ukrainian Chornobyl People's Party "For the Welfare and Protection of the People") • Party of Free Democrats • Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs • Party of Greens of Ukraine • Viche • Socialist Party of Ukraine • Party of National Economic Development of Ukraine • Christian Bloc (Social-Christian Party • All-Ukrainian Political Party "Ecology and Social Protection") • All-Ukrainian Party of People's Trust • All-Ukrainian Community (All-Ukrainian Party of Peace and Unity • National-Democratic Association "Ukraine" • Conscience of Ukraine • Political Party of Small and Medium-sized Businesses of Ukraine) Portal:Politics - List of political parties - Politics of Ukraine