BICAMERALISM AS A TOOL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATION IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The development of parliamentarism in Ukraine is particularly important for restoring the constitutional balance of power between the different branches of government and returning leadership of the main areas of state building to the Supreme Council of Ukraine. These areas include responding to the challenges of the Russian-Ukrainian war, performing the functions of law-making and forming the government, and developing public policy, modernisation and economic growth. In the context of the de facto restoration of the super-presidential model, which was precipitated by Russia's full-scale invasion, the search for an optimal model of parliamentary system is becoming increasingly relevant. The objective of the present study is to ascertain the potential directions for the transformation of parliamentarism in Ukraine. The notion of bicameralism is posited as a means of augmenting the role of parliament. The research aims to determine the following indicators based on an expert survey: 1) the level of support for bicameralism among experts; 2) the assessment of key parameters of the institutional model of the upper chamber; 3) restrictions on political parties' participation in forming the upper chamber; 4) requirements for members of the upper chamber to be politically neutral; 5) the potential economic impact of bicameralism (in terms of ensuring budgetary balance between the centre and communities). In January-February 2026, the authors conducted a research study entitled "Bicameralism as a tool for political stabilisation and representation in Ukraine". The research was overseen by an expert panel comprising over fifty specialists, including representatives from the fields of political science and constitutional law, as well as deputies of city and regional councils, volunteers from public organisations, and veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. It is evident that the activities of parliament require appropriate transformations. The institutional reconstruction of the interaction between parliament and the president will determine the prospects for the economy and politics of the post-war country. The findings of the research, when considered as a whole, demonstrate an almost equal distribution of experts in their attitude to the prospects of involving a bicameral parliament: the data indicates that 51.7% of respondents expressed support for this proposition, while 48.3% did not express support. Experts have noted the relevance of bicameralism for contemporary Ukrainian policy, and the need for a reasoned public debate and proper regulatory and legal justification for potential reform. The majority of experts (72.4%) advocate for the delineation of the upper chamber's role in economic policy, emphasising the enhancement of budgetary policy and the assurance of a more equitable distribution of financial resources between the central government and local communities. The issue of the nomination process for candidates to the upper chamber proved controversial. It is evident that there is a discernible demand for the upper chamber of parliament to be depoliticised. The majority of experts (58.6%) advocate for substantial limitations or complete elimination of political parties from the process of establishing the upper chamber. Furthermore, these experts express support for the implementation of the principle of political neutrality for members of the upper chamber throughout their term of office.