President Volodymyr Zelensky has concentrated all power in his hands and is building a house of cards, not understanding how everything works inside. However, the parliamentary-presidential Constitution of Ukraine contains mechanisms that allow him to behave this way.. The country has been drifting towards a presidential republic for many years.. And now it is especially clearly visible. However, the head of the Center for Constitutional Democracy at Indiana University (USA) David Williams in an interview with ZN. UA noted that Ukraine needs to balance the Constitution and introduce clear checks and balances.

“Here you can also draw parallels between our countries.. After coming to power, Trump, like Zelensky, tried to concentrate all power in his hands.. However, he could not do it.. In the United States, a presidential republic, a system of checks and balances still works. And this despite the fact that at that moment Trump was the most powerful man in the world.. It seems to me that there are two points that Ukraine should take into account in order for you to succeed: to balance the Constitution (it really contains the dualism of power), and to introduce clear checks and balances, "

At the same time, the expert noted that it is necessary to balance the Basic Law towards the parliamentary model or even Westminster (British version of the parliamentary) system.. According to Williams, in terms of the desire to concentrate power, prime ministers are always safer than presidents.. This has been proven empirically in many countries.. This happens for two reasons..

Firstly, as the expert noted, the president is elected by direct vote and therefore is perceived as a father who will save and protect everyone.. Formally, equal legitimacy with parliament, which the president receives directly from the hands of the people, clearly plays into his hands. People do not directly choose the premiere.. It is appointed by the parties that have joined the coalition.. The second reason Williams named is that the same intrasystem insiders (professional politicians) can remove the Prime Minister at any time..

“Of course, we are talking about a healthy political system, insured against an incompetent prime minister and corrupt politicians. It's about the quality of people who get into parliament. But this is already a story about the correct design of the election process.. She deserves a separate deep conversation. It is always psychologically natural for people to want to elect a sole ruler, who is then responsible for everything.. And it's harder to entrust it to professional politicians. But the truth is, ordinary people are much easier to deceive than experienced political insiders who understand how the system works, ”added the head of the Center for Constitutional Democracy at Indiana University..

Williams explained that it is a question of directly electing the President of Ukraine. According to the expert, in the 90s, at the early stage of Ukrainian independence, it seems that they hoped that the institution of the presidency would lead to the separation of powers, which were concentrated in the hands of the party leadership in Soviet times.. That the president will help Ukrainians to emancipate from the USSR and break with the Soviet past. However, now, as Williams noted, the institution of the presidency is the main threat to the principle of separation of powers and Ukrainian democracy as a whole..

“All these are questions for people. If you are satisfied with the current situation, then, yes, continue to choose a president who will shape policy based on his own preferences, ambitions and appetite for power.. If not satisfied, then you need to change the system. Periodically making minor amendments to the Constitution, transferring some powers to the parliament, the prime minister, or the president is not an option, "

He also drew attention to the gender aspect of the presidency.. In particular, society sees primarily a man in the role of a father-savior. There are far more women prime ministers than women presidents in the world. They are often highly competent professionals..

“This must be taken into account, because today at my lecture at the Kiev-Mohyla Academy 80 percent of the listeners were girls. In the future, this will change the balance of power in society.. Therefore, in the long term, it is logical to abandon direct presidential elections.. However, people must feel their strength in relations with power.. They themselves must find the answer to the question: who should rule them and how.?

Otherwise, all this becomes the subject of shadow deals of the elites in power, "

The head of the Center for Constitutional Democracy at Indiana University spoke to the editor of the department of politics ZN. UA Inna Vedernikova.

[see_also].

Head of the Center for Constitutional Democracy, Indiana University: “Involving people outside the system in government rarely ends up with success” [/ see_also].

About how and what President Zelensky is actually building and how strong such a structure is, read Inna Vedernikova's article “House of Cards Ze! Season results "