Voting in the DNR

Ukraine voted Sunday Oct 26 for a new Rada (parliament).  We now have a parliament FOR Ukraine elected BY Ukrainians (of all ethnicities including Russian).  Deputies are elected half from party lists based on percentage of votes over 5% and half from first past the post.

The Pro-Russian parties have been reduced to one (Opposition Bloc) with about 11% of the vote plus a majority of the 100 "independent" deputies but will have no control.  President Proroshenko and Prime Minister Yatseniuk each had their own parties and each took about 22% of the popular vote though Proproshenko's candidates won more of the first past the post seats.  A new party (Self Help or Do It Ourselves) surprised everyone and came in third.  It is ALL new faces and will be a wonderful addition to the Rada.

Since the Proroshenko and Yatseniuk were unable to agree on uniting their parties before the election, they are faced with uniting them after.  There is some fear of another Yushchenko-Tymoshenko stand-off like the one which destroyed the opportunities of the Orange Revolution of 2004.  However it is unlikely that the citizens of this now united country will put up with that and will take to the streets.  Expectations are that they will work together and with a big enough majority they can make necessary constitutional changes as well.

Not to be outdone, the Russian Terrorist occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk are holding "elections" November 2.  A commenter, Brent, on a Euromaidan article listed some of the rules for the DNR election.  They are worth repeating.

Some other rules and facts about the November 2nd elections

1) all candidates must prove they have extorted from or kidnapped at least 3 innocent people in the last 6 months
2) candidates who are currently Russian citizens will get credit of 2 votes for 1 actual
3) anyone WITHOUT an automatic weapon will NOT be allowed to vote
4) free transportation in a stolen vehicle will be provided to all senior citizens
5) anyone with a neo-Nazi tattoo gets to vote as many times as they wish
6) all Cargo 200 Club members can proxy their vote to anyone remaining from their regiment
7) 127% turnout is expected
8) the Sergei Prokofiev airport polling station will not be open
9) don't be alarmed if you see the local militia set up their Grad rocket launcher next to a polling station

10) The winner will be declared November 1st....

Crimean Referendum Ballot

 Explanations:

• Cargo 200 is Russian military code for bodies of soldiers.
• Sergei Prokofiev Airport is the Donetsk airport held by a handful of Ukrainian soldiers against repeated attacks by Terrorists, mercenaries and Russian military. 
• Operating from civilian occupied buildings is a favourite trick of the terrorists to draw Ukrainian fire to kill civilians.