The Cabinet was proposed to set a maximum term for mayors in office — no more than two consecutive terms
The idea to legally limit the tenure of city mayors to two consecutive terms did not find sufficient support among citizens. A petition registered to the Cabinet of Ministers failed to gather the required 25,000 signatures, so the government will not be obliged to consider the proposed legislative changes.
Almost 18,000 signatures short of the finish line
The petition calling for the introduction of a limit for city mayors — no more than two consecutive terms in office — was registered on April 9.
As of July 10, it had gathered only about 6,700 votes out of the required 25,000. Thus, the initiative did not overcome the established support threshold necessary for its official consideration by the government.
Why the author proposed to change the rules for city mayors
The author noted that current legislation does not limit the number of terms a city mayor can serve, which, in his opinion, means there is effectively no rotation of power at the local level in Ukraine.
“In fact, at the local level in Ukraine, there is no rotation of power. Current Ukrainian legislation does not limit the number of terms a city mayor can serve. This allows one person to hold power in a city for decades, which contradicts the principles of democratic governance and accountability to the community,” the appeal stated.
It was also noted that a long tenure of one person as mayor without legislative limits may contribute to the formation of personal client networks, increase the dependence of local entrepreneurs and officials on one person, and reduce the effectiveness of public oversight.
What changes were proposed to the Law and the Electoral Code
According to the petition author, setting a maximum number of terms would help actively involve new leaders in local self-government, strengthen competition in elections, and reduce political monopoly in certain cities.
In this regard, he asked the Cabinet to draft a bill amending the Law of Ukraine "On Local Self-Government in Ukraine" and the Electoral Code of Ukraine. It was proposed to establish that one person can hold the office of city mayor for no more than two consecutive terms.
Since the petition did not reach 25,000 votes, the government is not obliged to consider it on the merits.
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