The Genesis of the Institution of Presidency in Ukraine: Characteristic Features at the Formation Stage

Abstract

This article explores the formation of the institution of the presidency in Ukraine, a process that has evolved significantly and continues to undergo transformation in the context of political science. The ongoing evolution emphasizes the uniqueness of the Ukrainian presidency and presents new scientific challenges and opportunities for in-depth analysis.

During the Soviet period, prior to Ukraine's independence, state power was exercised by a collegial body, the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada. According to Article 2 of the 1978 Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR, all power in Ukraine belonged to the people, who exercised it through the Councils of People's Representatives. This system allowed the people to delegate their governance rights to the Councils, which were organized in a unified structure where lower-level councils were subordinate to higher-level ones. Consequently, all state authorities were accountable to these councils. Based on an analysis of the political system's functioning during that period it can be asserted that the political structure was insular and precluded the establishment of the institution of the presidency.

The practice of introducing the institution of the presidency began to gain traction among the union republics before their secession from the USSR. Scholars agree that this development was partly due to the political weakness of Mikhail Gorbachev, who should have insisted for the establishment of a singular presidency with authority extending across the entire Soviet Union.

 A significant milestone in fully introducing the institution of the presidency was the removal of Article 6 from the Constitution, which had previously enshrined the Communist Party's leading role in society. This legislative change paved the way for the conceptualization of an ideal presidential model, addressing issues such as constitutional status, scope of powers, and mechanisms for accountability.

The initial attempt to introduce the institution of the presidency within the Soviet Union set a precedent that other republics, including Ukraine, followed.

The establishment of the institution of the presidency in Ukraine in July 1991 marked a crucial phase in the development of Ukrainian statehood. This move represented a first step towards creating a modern political system, enabling the Ukrainian people to elect their leader and facilitating the implementation of state policies by political institutions more effectively.