Yulia Tymoshenko elected PM by parliament 18 December, after failure to win earlier vote 11 December.

First session of new parliament held 23 November. Final coalition agreement between Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYuT) and Our Ukraine-People’s Self-Defense (NUNS) bloc submitted 29 November. 1,000 riot police allegedly clashed with ethnic Tatars in Simferopol in attempt to remove illegal market buildings; 4 injured, 30 arrested 6 November.

Yulia Timoshenko bloc (BYuT) and Our Ukraine- People’s Self-Defense bloc (NUNS) signed coalition agreement after Central Election Commission issued final results of 30 September parliamentary elections. In new assembly Party of Regions will have 175 seats, BYuT 156 seats, NUNS 72 seats, Communist Party 27 seats, and Lytvyn Bloc 20 seats. Turnout officially confirmed at 62%.

Parliamentary elections held 30 September. Exit polls indicated tight race between Party of the Regions and Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko, with latter possibly able to form “orange” government with President Yushchenko’s Our Ukraine bloc. Political wrangling ahead of polls saw parliament reconvene 4 and 20 September despite being officially disbanded. Party of the Regions had threatened boycott, citing sabotage of constituency election commission by Our Ukraine and “provocations” against supporters. Socialist Interior Minister Vasili Tsuschko said presidential secretariat poisoned him in May. Central Election Commission accused Yushchenko of violating neutrality after speech calling voters to back his party bloc. EU-Ukraine summit held in Kiev 14 September to open negotiations for enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Yushchenko accused Moscow of hindering investigation of his 2004 poisoning.

Campaign for 30 September parliamentary elections began 2 August. President Yushchenko ruled out post-poll ruling coalition of his Our Ukraine bloc with PM Yanukovych’s Party of the Regions. Election officials reversed 11 August decision to bar opposition Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko’s candidates from polls, following 2 days of 1000-strong rallies. Yushchenko announced new constitution would be drafted, but advised against holding referendum on election day.

10 parties backing President Yushchenko agreed to unite for September parliamentary elections. NATO-led multinational naval exercises held in Odessa and Yuzhny with parliamentary approval.

Early parliamentary elections for 30 September confirmed after parliament approved necessary legislation. President Yushchenko requested EU observers. Visa facilitation agreement with EU signed 18 June. Moscow denied entry to senior Yushchenko aide after Kiev deported leader of Russia’s nationalist Eurasia movement.

President Yushchenko and PM Yanukovych agreed 27 May to hold early parliamentary elections 30 September. Deal followed rapid escalation of political tensions which saw Yushchenko take control of interior troops 25 May in response to occupation of newly appointed, and sacked, Prosecutor- General Piskun’s office by Interior Minister Tsushko and interior troops. Latter tried to prevent Piskun’s dismissal by Yushchenko. President dismissed 3 Constitutional Court judges late April-early May on charges of procedural and ethics violations; chairman of Court resigned 17 May. Month-end Yushchenko threatened to call snap elections if reconvened parliament missed 1 June deadline to pass legislation needed for September elections.

Following March defection of 11 MPs to ruling coalition, President Yushchenko issued decree 2 April dissolving parliament and setting early elections 27 May. PM Yanukovych refused to obey. Supporters of both staged major demonstrations. While Constitutional Court considered legality, with 5 of 18 judges threatening to quit citing “gross pressure” from PM's allies, Yushchenko issued second decree 26 April setting elections for June. Yanukovych again challenged as unconstitutional. Parliament voted 30 April for simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections to be held by 9 December.

Rival rallies of supporters of governing coalition and opposition held 31 March despite court ban; protests followed President Yushchenko’s 29 March threat to dissolve parliament for snap elections. Parliament approved former economy minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk as foreign minister 21 March following its second rejection of Yushchenko’s previous nominee Volodymyr Ohryzko. 11 opposition parliamentarians defected to ruling coalition giving latter 260 out of 450 seats, still 40 short of majority needed to amend constitution, while defector Anatoliy Kinakh named economics minister.