Ukraine’s post-war elections: Parliamentary subgroups present key findings at roundtable

On 20 March 2026, Ukrainian lawmakers, electoral authorities, civil society representatives and international partners gathered in Kyiv to present the outcomes of the Working Group on the preparation of comprehensive legislative proposals on the specifics of the procedure for organizing and holding elections during a special period and/or post-war elections in Ukraine.

The roundtable "Preparation for the First National Post-War Elections in Ukraine: Organisational Challenges and Legislative Developments" was organised by the Centre of Policy and Legal Reform in cooperation with International IDEA and the parliamentary Working Group on post-war elections.

Oleksandr Korniienko, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Head of the Working group on the preparation of comprehensive legislative proposals on the specifics of the procedure for organizing and holding elections during a special period and/or post-war elections in Ukraine welcoming participants.

The event was held within the framework of the U-VOTE project, supported by the Government of Norway and implemented by International IDEA, which provides comprehensive support to Ukraine's democratic processes and electoral preparedness.

Yuliya Shypilova, Programme Manager in Ukraine, Regional Office for Europe, International IDEA during her opening remarks.

The roundtable focused on the results of a parliamentary working group developing legislative proposals for organising elections after the war. The discussion marked an important step from general planning towards more concrete solutions. Participants presented the outcomes of several thematic subgroups working on key areas of electoral preparation. These included election administration, voting abroad, participation of military personnel, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and security conditions for holding elections.

Serhii Dubovyk, Deputy Head of the Central Election Commission while presenting the results of the work of Subgroup on Election Administration and Electoral Infrastructure.

One of the main challenges discussed was how to ensure participation for millions of Ukrainians currently living abroad. Proposed solutions include expanding voting beyond diplomatic missions and improving voter registration processes. Ensuring voting rights for servicemen and servicewomen was also highlighted as a priority. Proposed approaches aim to balance access to voting with security considerations.

From left to right: Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (online), Sergii Postivyi, member of the Central Election Committee (on the right), Oleksandr Karasevych, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (in the centre) and Yuliya Kyrychenko, moderator of the event, Board Member of the Centre of Policy and Legal Reform (on the left) during the presentation of the results of the work of Subgroup on the Participation in Elections of Ukrainian Citizens Residing Abroad.

Participants also addressed the challenges faced by internally displaced persons and residents of affected territories, including how to ensure their participation in future elections. Security remains a key factor in determining where and how elections can be held. Proposals include developing clear criteria to assess whether conditions are safe for voting in specific areas.

Roman Lozynskyi, MP, First Deputy Head of the Committee, Head of the Subcommittee on Decolonisation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning (online) while presenting the results of the work of Subgroup on Ensuring the Electoral Rights of Servicemen and Servicewomen.

Overall, the discussion showed that significant progress has been made in preparing a legal framework for post-war elections, although some political decisions still need to be addressed.

Tamila Tasheva, MP, Head of the Subcommittee on the Restoration of State Power and Local Self-Government in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning is presenting the results of the Subgroup on Internally Displaced Persons, Temporarily Occupied and Frontline Territories.

Participants emphasised that further work would focus on finalising proposals and preparing institutions for implementation. As Ukraine prepares for future elections, ensuring inclusive and credible processes will be essential for strengthening public trust in democratic institutions.

Alina Zahoruiko, Deputy Head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning is presenting the results of the Subgroup on Developing Security Criteria for the Possibility of Organising and Holding Elections.

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