Key facts
- Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has been removed from her post.
- Serhiy Koretskyi, CEO of Naftogaz, is expected to be appointed as the new Prime Minister.
- President Zelensky emphasized the urgency of preparing for winter and transforming state-owned companies.
- Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, lacks the votes to confirm a new Prime Minister without opposition support.
- A law requiring pre-appointment meetings between candidates and parliamentary factions has not yet been enacted by the President.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has replaced Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, citing the critical need to accelerate preparations for potential winter threats and to transform the country's state-owned companies. Svyrydenko's tenure lasted less than a year, making her the third prime minister dismissed by Zelensky. The chosen successor is Serhiy Koretskyi, the current CEO of Naftogaz, a move seen as logical given Ukraine's energy security challenges.
This government reshuffle occurs as Ukraine faces another potentially harsh winter, recalling the severe conditions of 2025-2026 when energy infrastructure, heavily damaged by Russian attacks, left millions without heating or electricity. While some regions demonstrated resilience through decentralized infrastructure and effective local leadership, the central government's response was found wanting.
The author, a Member of Parliament from the Holos faction, criticizes the concentration of power in Zelensky's office, suggesting the Cabinet of Ministers has been reduced to an operational arm. This system, the author argues, prioritizes loyalty over expertise and leaves top professionals unwilling to serve due to a lack of agency and job security.
Furthermore, the parliamentary opposition highlights the challenge of confirming a new Prime Minister, as Zelensky's Servant of the People party no longer holds a majority in the Verkhovna Rada. A proposed bill, which would legally obligate Prime Minister candidates to engage with parliamentary factions before a vote, has yet to be signed by the President, indicating a lack of dialogue. The opposition is demanding real plans and an empowered parliament, warning that without these, their votes cannot be guaranteed.