Ukraine's Parliament Enacts Electoral Reforms

 

By Lisa McAdams
Ukraine's parliament has overwhelmingly passed a broad package of constitutional and electoral reforms, clearing the way for a new presidential run-off election December 26. 
Parliament met in extraordinary session for the second time in as many days and, in a surprising move, voted to approve a broad package of constitutional and electoral reforms by a vote of 402 to 21.
After days of deadlock¹ and debate, deputies clapped and cheered as the speaker of Ukraine's parliament, Vladymir Lytvyn, announced that the measures had passed.
Speaker Lytvyn congratulates the deputies for reconciling their differences, an act he said proves Ukraine is united and indivisible.
The measures change Ukraine's electoral laws to prevent incidents of fraud, which plagued last month's presidential run-off elections.
The package also includes controversial constitutional changes that will weaken the powers of the president.  Namely, the president will now need parliamentary approval to appoint the country's top ministerial posts. 
Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma, who was in the chamber² during the vote, later signed the bill into law.
The opposition³ had resisted the constitutional reforms, but yielded to President Kuchma's camp to clear the way for the new ballot⁴. 
In return, the opposition also gained parliamentary approval to dismiss the central election commission that oversaw⁵ the last round of elections.  Deputies later voted in a new commission.  That vote saw 11 of the 15-member commission members retaining their posts, but the former chief, Sergei Kivalov, was ousted⁶. 
Pro-government forces declared the votes a victory for Ukraine and said attention now needs to focus on how to finance the next round of elections.  
Opposition leader Yulia Timoshenko, whose bloc⁷ voted against the measures, said the moves only serve to strengthen pro-government forces, which have close to a majority in parliament.  Ms. Timoshenko says her bloc will test the measures in the Constitutional Court.
The parliament vote clears the way for international election monitors to begin preparations to oversee⁸ the next round of presidential run-off elections on December 26.  The contest again pits pro-Russia Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych against opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko.
注释：
overwhelmingly 压倒性地, 不可抵抗地
indivisible 不能分割的
ballot 投票

1 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

5 oversaw   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去式 )

参考例句：

• He will go down as the president who oversaw two historic transitions. 他将作为见证了巴西两次历史性转变的总统，安然引退。 来自互联网
• Dixon oversaw the project as creative director of Design Research Studio. 狄克逊监督项目的创意总监设计研究工作室。 来自互联网

6 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

7 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

8 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。