RELATIONS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION (2019-2021)

Abstract

The article examines the relations between the government and the parliamentary opposition in Ukraine in 2019-2021, when, for the first time in the country’s history, a single-party majority was formed in parliament. The victory of the political party Sluha Narodu (Servant of the People) and the formation of a new government created a new political configuration. This configuration enabled rapid decision-making and consolidation of power, but at the same time introduced significant changes in the control functions of the opposition.
The author emphasises that the absence of a clearly defined legal status for the opposition in Ukraine emerged as one of the key factors behind the imbalance of power. During this period, the opposition factions of the political party European Solidarity, the political party Batkivshchyna, the political party Holos, and the political party Opposition Platform – For Life in the Verkhovna Rada of the ninth convocation lacked sufficient instruments for exercising parliamentary oversight. The right to submit parliamentary inquiries and quotas in committee leadership proved insufficient. This situation reduced the effectiveness of the system of checks and balances and fuelled public debates on the risks of «democratic monopolism».
Particular attention is devoted to the key political conflicts of 2019-2021, including the constitutional crisis of 2020, the resignation of Prime Minister O. Honcharuk’s government, and confrontations with the opposition. These developments exposed the weaknesses of the institutional architecture of Ukrainian parliamentarism. A comparative analysis of European democracies demonstrates that the effectiveness of the opposition is possible only through its institutionalisation – the enshrinement of rights and guarantees in the constitutional and legal framework, alongside the creation of mechanisms for participation in parliamentary life.
It is concluded that the relations between the government and the parliamentary opposition in 2019-2021 became a distinctive expression of Ukrainian democracy. They highlighted the potential for swift reforms while simultaneously revealing the vulnerabilities of the political system. To strengthen democratic resilience, it is essential to adopt a law on the parliamentary opposition, ensure its guaranteed role within parliamentary structures, and foster a culture of constructive interaction between majority and minority actors.