Ukraine: Prime Minister Yatsenyuk remains in power

In the evening of 16 February 2016, the Ukrainian parliament failed to pass a vote of no confidence in the government of PM Arseniy Yatseniuk (only 194 MPs supported the motion, out of the necessary majority of 226). Such a motion could only be resubmitted in September, during the next session of parliament. A few minutes previously, the parliament had rejected the government’s annual report by 247 votes. The no-confidence motion was overturned thanks to the absence of many deputies. It was not supported by up to 40 MPs of the Poroshenko Bloc; only 8 deputies of the Opposition Bloc were in favour, and there were no votes to impeach from members representing Revival, the party controlled by Ihor Kolomoyskiy. Earlier President Petro Poroshenko issued a statement in which he suggested the need to completely renew the composition of the government, but emphasised that this should be done by the current ruling coalition. He also requested that the Attorney-General Viktor Shokin resign, as some of the coalition’s factions had demanded.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Crisis deepens as Yatsenyuk survives no-confidence vote http://www.europeansources.info/record/crisis-deepens-as-yatsenyuk-survives-no-confidence-vote/

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