Dictatorship Resistance Committee: Membership and Political Alliances

Dictatorship Resistance Committee: Membership and Political Alliances

The Dictatorship Resistance Committee (KOD) emerged as a pivotal political alliance in Ukraine, bringing together a diverse array of parties to oppose the prevailing administration. By March 2012, the committee had evolved into a broad coalition, bridging gaps between liberal, conservative, and nationalistic factions to create a unified front.

Key Facts

  • The largest opposition party in the committee was the All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland," led by Yulia Tymoshenko.
  • The alliance included former members of the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc (OU-PSDB).
  • UDAR, led by Vitaliy Klychko, maintained a joint action agreement with the alliance without becoming a full member.
  • Membership fluctuated due to disagreements over election laws and cooperation with the Yanukovych regime.

Core Member Parties

The composition of the committee reflected a wide political spectrum, ranging from centrist and liberal groups to far-right nationalists. The following parties were members as of March 2012:

Major Political Blocs and Parties

  • All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland": The primary opposition force and a lead member of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYuT), headed by Yulia Tymoshenko.
  • Front for Change: A centrist party that joined the committee despite previous hesitations regarding cooperation with Tymoshenko.
  • People's Self-Defense Party: Formerly part of the OU-PSDB, this party was led by Yuriy Lutsenko, the former Minister of Internal Affairs.

Liberal and Conservative Affiliates

  • People's Movement of Ukraine: A conservative party and former member of the OU-PSDB.
  • European Party of Ukraine: A liberal party and former member of the OU-PSDB.
  • Reforms and Order Party: A liberal party that also held membership in the BYuT.
  • Motherland Defenders Party: A former member of the OU-PSDB.
  • All-Ukrainian Union "Svoboda": A far-right nationalistic party.

[ไม่มีภาพประกอบ]

Strategic Partnerships

While not a formal member of the Dictatorship Resistance Committee, the UDAR party, led by Vitaliy Klychko, established a strategic partnership. On January 22, 2012, UDAR signed an agreement to engage in joint actions with the alliance, extending the coalition's reach.

Membership Transitions and Withdrawals

The alliance faced internal friction, leading to the departure of several parties over legislative disputes and political loyalty.

Summary of Withdrawn Members
Party Name Reason for Departure Date of Exit
Civil Position Disagreement over the new parliamentary election law Late November 2011
Ukraine – Forward! Expulsion of Natalia Korolevska from the BYuT faction in the Verkhovna Rada March 14, 2012
Our Ukraine Infringements of KOD decisions and cooperation with the Yanukovych regime June 15, 2012

The Verkhovna Rada, which is the Ukrainian parliament, served as the primary arena where these political shifts and factional expulsions took place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who led the largest party in the Dictatorship Resistance Committee?

The All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland," the largest opposition party in the committee, was led by Yulia Tymoshenko.

Did UDAR become a full member of the committee?

No, UDAR did not join as a full member, but it signed an agreement for joint actions with the alliance on January 22, 2012.

Why did the Civil Position party leave the alliance?

Civil Position left in late November 2011 because other members of the committee voted for a new law regarding parliamentary elections on November 17, 2011.

What led to the exclusion of the Our Ukraine party?

Our Ukraine was excluded on June 15, 2012, due to consistent infringements against the decisions of the KOD and its cooperation with the regime of Yanukovych.

Which parties were formerly part of the OU-PSDB?

The People's Self-Defense Party, the People's Movement of Ukraine, the European Party of Ukraine, the Motherland Defenders Party, and Our Ukraine were all former members of the Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc (OU-PSDB).

References

  1. (in Ukrainian) Комітет опору диктатурі об'єднав демократичні партії, UNIAN (6 August 2011)
  2. Ukrainian political forces create people's committee to protect Ukraine, Kyiv Post (May 10, 2010)
  3. Ukraine opposition alliance urges mass-scale public action against government, Kyiv Post (October 11, 2011)
  4. Tymoshenko: Opposition should participate in parliamentary elections on single party ticket, Kyiv Post (September 27, 2011)
  5. (in Ukrainian) Комітет опору диктатурі спробує поділити округи, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (21 November 2011)