2020 was a politically eventful year for Ukraine, and a turbulent one for reform implementation. The cabinet reshuffle in March, the government’s erratic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the October local elections (held, for the first time, solely on the basis of open list proportional representation) all contributed to new political and economic realities on the ground.
The successful passing of a long-awaited banking law in May cleared the way for a $5 billion IMF aid programme, but cooperation has stalled again due to Ukraine’s rollback of anti-corruption reforms.
The speakers discuss the implications of the local elections for national political developments, especially in regards to the evolution of the party system. They also outline the prospects for finalizing Ukraine’s decentralization, the dynamic between Kyiv and the regions, and provide an economic forecast for 2021.
