Information on the thesis

The problem field of the phenomenon of legitimation of political power in the electoral process has been defined in the thesis on the basis of the current scientific literature studying; the theoretical and methodological foundations of the study of the electoral process, as a factor of legitimation of political power in Ukraine have been justified. The author’s definition of «electoral process of legitimation of political power» has been suggested. The analysis of the electoral process, the political process and the determination of its stage-sequential steps has been implemented.

The structure, contents and directions of improvement of electoral legislation on the elections of the President of Ukraine and Supreme Rada of Ukraine from the late 1980s until the early 2000s have been specified. The evolution of the Ukrainian legislation in the context of the optimizing of the citizens’ involvement into participation and control at all stages of the electoral process, its democratization according to the European norms, procedures and standards has been tracked.

The institutional structure and procedures of legitimation of political power in the electoral process has been revealed. The advantages and disadvantages of existing electoral systems, the prospects for implementation of the reformed electoral system in Ukraine have been considered. The analysis of Ukrainian political parties, their influence on the electoral process has been implemented.

The content of the programs of leading political parties from the point of view of their ideological orientation, rationality and populism has been considered. The quantitative and qualitative indicators of development of the institutional structures of civil society in the context of increased participation of public associations in the electoral processes have been considered.

The general trends in the evolution of domestic electoral technologies in the direction of their virtualization and marketization, a gradual shift away from massive use of «the dirty» technologies to the targeted communication have been demonstrated. All the technologies have been classified after the application areas: constitutional-legal, organizational, political, informational and communicational, psychological and image makers, sociological.

The shape and the dynamics of electoral participation of citizens at the elections of the President of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Parliament have been cleared out. The general trends in the structure of electoral preferences of citizens in the presidential and 1991–2014, parliamentary elections in Ukraine have been have been revealed. It has been indicated, that electoral preferences (preferences) of Ukrainian voters determines the set of economic, socio-cultural, political, ideological and other factors. Their action is due to the specificity of regional development, peculiarities of formation of the power elite, the directions of the party and political structuring etc.

The main trends in the activities and nature of the comments of the official international and public observers to the presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine of the late 1990s-early 2000s have been tracked.

Key words: the electorate, electoral process, electoral technology, legitimation, the Supreme  Rada of Ukraine, President of Ukraine, political parties.