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#5 (397), 18 February 2008

A publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies ICPS newsletter ® How to form a new political leadership in On 11 February 2008, ICPS held a roundtable called “Who will rule the country representation of younger adults in party in 10 years? The problem of forming political leadership in Ukraine.” The goal and bloc election lists is especially telling, a of this event was to involve a broad base of stakeholders to discuss prospects problem that was recognized by the majority for changing the upper ranks of Ukraine’s political class, ways to promote young of the participants in this roundtable. leaders to leading positions in Ukrainian politics, and the role that the current No mechanisms for transferring political environment and mechanisms play in this process knowledge to the young Participating in this roundtable were young doing nothing to help this process along. Mr. Shevliak said that the second problem Ukrainian politicians, members of youth This means that the younger generation is a lack of mechanisms for transferring organizations, experts and journalists. The needs to identify itself in its attempt to knowledge, in particular regarding public younger generation on Ukraine’s political become the country’s future leadership. administration. Ukraine’s system of stage was represented by Today, it is possible to contribute to this education cannot provide appropriate Deputies Shevchenko, Yevhen process by changing such social systems as qualifications and there are no effective Suslov, Andriy Naidyonov, and First Deputy education, civil society and the media, but mechanisms for teaching practical skills. Minister for Family, Youth and Sports Affairs the driving force behind such changes must Illya Shevliak. National political youth be determined specialists. Such mechanisms exist in mature organizations were represented by Molodiy democracies, especially in France, whose First Deputy Minister for Family, Youth Narodniy Rukh Ukrayiny President Ivan experience is worth studying and trying and Sports Affairs Illya Shevliak agreed Krul’ko, Union of Young Socialists President out in Ukraine. Knowledge about European that the solution of numerous current Denys Voloshyn, Executive Committee Chair practice and European values is very much problems prevents the state from paying of the Nasha Ukraina Youth Union Sviatoslav needed by young leaders and the future sufficient attention to the challenges of Babilya, and Batkivshchyna Moloda Vice political leadership as they continue the future, such as the question of forming President Oleh Kuyavskiy. implementing Ukraine’s strategic goal— a new generation of leaders. The Ministry integration into the European Union. Among representatives of community is initiating a of events to support organizations for young people were the civic movement among young people in After recognizing these numerous Foundation of Regional Initiatives the country. However, these efforts face a problems, Mr. Shevliak proposed several President Oleksandr Solontai, Forum of number of problems that government policy areas of cooperation for young leaders Young Leaders of Ukraine founder Ihor alone cannot eliminate. and organizations, including actively Shevchenko, Union of Forward-Looking Youth participating in evaluating and revising Board of Management Member Vladyslav Young Ukrainians are not policy geared towards the young in Ukraine, Puchych, and others. Leading Ukrainian consolidated supporting the set up and operation of pundits and educational specialists joined a European Youth Center in Ukraine, and The first problem is poor consolidation representatives of the younger generation participating in the work of schools for among Ukraine’s younger generation. The in debating the issues raised. young politicians and young journalists. country has 151 registered All-Ukrainian Young people should take youth community organizations and more than 4,000 regional and local organizations. Creating alternatives to existing the initiative But the real share of younger adults that organizations ICPS Director Volodymyr Nikitin stated that is active in these organizations is quite Representatives of youth organizations establishing an elite is a key issue for the small. The level of cooperation among were very critical of the work of the independence, security and prospects for a youth organizations and between them and Ukrainian Youth Forum set up in 2005 good life for Ukrainians. The country’s future government bodies is also low. The main and supported by Mr. Shevliak as an depends on what new political leadership resources are concentrated in , which instrument for consolidating young people. it has — whether these people have a clear means regional youth movements are not The majority of speakers said this forum picture of the future, stable principles to getting the necessary support. was not a truly representative structure base their actions on, and responsibility for As a result, Ukrainian politicians do not see and could not adequately represent Ukraine’s what they are doing. the younger generation as a serious social youth movement at the European Youth However, Mr. Nikitin added, a new political force and their election platforms pay much Forum. leadership will not take shape just like that more attention to pensioners’ problems than Participants also offered proposals for and, meanwhile, today’s top politicians are to the problems of young people. The poor re-organizing this entity or setting up an alternative organization. Forum of Young not enough to wait for leadership and with the problems facing young Ukrainians, Leaders of Ukraine Founder success. People have to strive for them, to but does not even make it possible for young called upon all youth organizations not to set relevant objectives for themselves and activists to participate in the formulation be afraid to set up alternatives to those to follow positive examples. By taking on and implementation of policy related to structures that do not meet their needs and responsibility, for example, through elected them. Mr. Voloshyn call for active young to build up their own reputations and gain office in local government, young leaders people to unite in the search for common support for new organizations through their have the opportunity to avoid the negative national ideas and come up with interesting own activism and good example. impact of the current traditions of Ukrainian joint projects was supported by most This idea was also supported by Volodymyr politics and to take the country’s future into participants at the roundtable. Lupatsiy, an analyst from the Sofia center their hands. for social studies. He suggested that young VR Deputy Andriy Naidyonov emphasized the The education system should leaders adopt the concept of a “counter- important role of student government as a contribute to forming leaders leadership” that would not simply replace way of forming young leaders. Mr. Naidyonov Director of Kyiv Business Lyceum Liudmyla those in power today, but would bring a new also noted the importance of creating and Parashchenko attracted serious attention quality and approach to government that are implementing long-term programs in youth with her presentation. She said the different from those currently in use. policy and cultural exchanges with other Ukrainian system of education, starting countries, including Russia and Belarus. with public school, contributes little to A new leadership with new Ukraine’s political leadership the formation of leaders and the country’s qualities future political leadership, and even less to is not changing providing the skills and knowledge needed VR Deputy emphasized by young people in today’s globalized and that the coming of the new leadership Union of Young Socialists President Denys highly competitive world. cannot be a simple mechanical replacement Voloshyn drew attention to the fact that, in of older politicians by younger ones. This over 16 years of independence, there has By tradition, Ukrainian schools focus kind of mechanical replacement can be been almost no change in the political top on graduating a “literate” individual. seen in the City of Kyiv, where the coming dogs and the same people continue to hold However, in today’s new environment, they of a young team to power became the top offices. The old leadership no longer need to focus on training a “competent” worst nightmare of those supporting a meets the needs of the present, he said, its graduate. Otherwise, the skilled specialists change of generations in politics. At the approach is driving the country from crisis being trained in Ukraine will be hired for moment, the entire country sees how young, to crisis, and there is no end in sight. the business processes and technologies ambitious and well-trained individuals However, the main political forces feel of foreign corporations and countries, can not only replicate but even reinforce the lack of human resources that was so and there will be no one to apply new the most negative qualities of their older obvious in the last Verkhovna Rada election. management technologies. predecessors. Certainly, there were great examples of Such an objective requires significantly So the point is not simply replacement, getting journalists, athletes and stars to restructuring public schools, reforming but removal of the old leadership, along join political parties. But many of these curricula and organizing a training process with its intrinsic qualities, and the coming newcomers failed to show up for work and and methods. Attempts to institute new of a qualitatively new leadership. A list of neglected the duties of their office. approaches to training are being made such qualities can be formulated, using The impression is that there is no one to both at the Kyiv Business Lyceum and other the example of successful western leaders. replace the current leadership. Existing specialized schools across Ukraine. However, Among them, publicness, leadership and mechanisms for forming young leaders, for these attempts to succeed, the state the ability to personify new, understandable in particular youth organizations, are must support such initiatives, at least values are at the top. To replace the not bringing results. There are several in the form of pilot projects. It must allow “flexibility” traditional of Ukrainian politics, reasons for this. Firstly, party leaders do more freedom and contribute to the spread a politician of integrity must emerge, in not know how to work with young people of progressive practices. whom is no contradiction in what that and do not understand how important it Among the problems of attracting young person thinks, says or does. is to raise future leaders. So they do not people to politics, participants mentioned To contribute to the formation of such new pay the necessary attention to setting up, the practice of closed election lists of leadership, both young people and members supporting and cooperating with youth political parties. In such an environment, of the older generation who are care about organizations. the chances of a young individual to make this issue need to look for innovative Secondly, young people do not see any it to the list are determined by the extent instruments and ways of acting, not limiting ideologies that appeal to them. Today’s to which that particular individual pleases themselves to existing youth-oriented political parties are not proposing any ideas the party’s leader or the leader’s entourage. entities subordinated to existing political that would draw the young to community In fact, little depends on professional and parties. A serious impact can be made by and political work. It is very difficult to personal qualities. The electoral system changing the rules for hiring in the civil identify a difference among the ideologies must be changed so that politicians will service, which, provided it offers competitive of Ukraine’s main political forces in the work at the local level with real voters, salaries, will foster the coming of the best Verkhovna Rada, or among their youth whose support will determine the shape representatives of the younger generation branches. Ideological work would help the of election lists. n to public administration. younger generation clearly formulate their interests and identify the instruments for According to VR Deputy Yevhen Suslov, the For additional information, contact ICPS achieving these. self-identification and self-organization expert Igor Shevliakov by telephone of young people are very important for The third problem is lack of government at (380-44) 484-4400 or via e-mail at the formation of a new leadership. It’s support. The state not only does not deal [email protected] icps newsletter is a weekly publication of the International Centre for Policy Studies, delivered by electronic mail. To be included in the distribution list, contact the ICPS publications department at [email protected] or call (380-44) 484-4400. icps newsletter editor Olha Lvova ([email protected]). Phone: (380-44) 484-4400. English text editor L.A. Wolanskyj. Articles may be reprinted with ICPS consent. icps newsletter on the web: http://icps.com.ua/eng/publications/nl.html