Ukraine is heading for new parliamentary elections, but the country still lacks real political parties

On 25 August, Ukraine’s President, Petro Poroshenko, dissolved parliament and called new elections for 26 October. Taras Kuzio provides an overview of Ukraine’s party system ahead of the elections, noting that in many respects the country still lacks genuine political parties of the kind found in other European states. He argues that without strong political parties it will be difficult to establish a real parliamentary democracy in Ukraine.