The history of political parties in independent Ukraine and why our country needs a two-party system

• Published in: Науковий вісник Ужгородського національного університету. Серія Право Vol. 1; no. 89; pp. 115 - 120
• Main Author: Marushchak, Y. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 21.07.2025
• ISSN: 2307-3322; 2664-6153
• DOI: 10.24144/2307-3322.2025.89.1.14

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the history of the creation, formation, and transformation of political parties in independent Ukraine from the early 1990s to the present. Four key periods in the development of the party system are identified, within which the main stages of the evolution of political forces, their ideological foundations, programmatic goals, and actual influence on the political process are traced. It is established that despite the relatively short history of Ukraine’s multiparty system, citizens have demonstrated high political activity, as evidenced by the number of registered parties and mass political movements such as the Revolution on Granite, the Orange Revolution, and the Revolution of Dignity. At the same time, Ukraine’s multiparty system has been marked by parliamentary fragmentation, the short life cycle of parties, ideological inconsistency, and afocus on the electoral cycle. Particular attention is given to the negative consequences of the dominance of temporary political projects, often created for specific elections, as well as the influence of oligarchic capital on party activities. The article substantiates the advisability of Ukraine’s transition to a two-party system model as a tool for ensuring stability, enhancing political accountability, and increasing the institutional capacity of parties. A comparative analysis of international experience with two-party systems, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom, is provided, along with the application of Duverger’s Law, which confirms the effectiveness of the two-party model under majoritarian or mixed electoral systems. The article also considers a hypothetical scenario of a functioning stable pro-European party in Ukraine that would initiate systemic reforms, ensure strategic planning, and maintain ongoing dialogue with society. The author concludes that the formation of a two-party system in Ukraine should proceed through an evolutionary process, involving the gradual strengthening of major parties, the stabilization of electoral preferences, and the enhancement of public trust in democratic institutions.