Constitution of Ukraine

The Constitution of Ukraine is the fundamental law of Ukraine. The constitution was adopted and ratified at the 5th session of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine on June 28, 1996. The constitution was passed with 315 ayes out of 450 votes possible (300 ayes minimum).

Constitution of Ukraine

All other laws and other normative legal acts of Ukraine must conform to the constitution. The right to amend the constitution through a special legislative procedure is vested exclusively in the parliament. The only body that may interpret the constitution and determine whether legislation conforms to it is the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

Since 1996 the public holiday Constitution Day is celebrated on June 28.

In 2004, amendments were adopted that significantly changed Ukraine's political system. These changes are sometimes erroneously referred to as the "2004 Constitution". In 2010, then-President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych reverted these changes on the basis of a ruling made by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. Following the events of Euromaidan, the 2004 amendments were reinstated.