Vitalii Bezghin: Draft law №14405 must preserve the ability of local councils to function under martial law

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will consider in the first reading draft Law of Ukraine №14405 “On Ensuring the Authority of Local Councils under Martial Law”.

Adoption of the draft law will ensure the stable and proper operation of local self-government bodies, particularly where the early termination of individual deputies’ mandates causes quorum problems.

✔️Why was the draft law needed?

For a number of reasons, including the mobilisation of deputies, the early termination of their mandates and the impossibility of holding local elections under martial law, the operation of some local councils of territorial communities is currently difficult or even impossible.

In particular, in 2025, 211 village, settlement and city councils did not hold a single plenary meeting (14.6% of their total number).

As of 1 February 2026, there were nearly 3.5 thousand vacant deputy seats in village, settlement and city councils (around 10% of their total number).

In 5.5% of village, settlement and city councils, the composition is not legally competent, while another 3% have a critically low number of deputies.

“I call on members of parliament to support the draft law in the first reading. I also call on community leaders to communicate with the deputies representing their constituencies and explain the importance of this decision. If members of parliament still have reservations about certain provisions, we are ready to work through them before the second reading. The Committee has already improved the draft law. Its adoption will allow local self-government bodies to make the decisions communities need. This is an important step towards regulating their work under martial law. As a matter of principle, only provisions that help local self-government work effectively under martial law should remain in the draft,” emphasised Vitalii Bezghin, Minister for Communities, Territories and Internally Displaced Persons.

What the draft law will change

The draft law establishes temporary rules for the operation of local councils of territorial communities during martial law and for 6 months after its termination or lifting.

In particular, it provides for:

▪️preserving the ability of a territorial community council to operate if at least half of its total number of deputies remain;

▪️allowing a settlement military administration to be established if fewer than half of the council’s deputies remain;

▪️simplifying the convening of territorial community council sessions: a session may be convened at the proposal of at least 1/3 of deputies;

▪️providing that a plenary meeting is legally competent if more than half of the council’s deputies take part;

▪️a council decision will be deemed adopted if a majority of the council’s deputies vote for it. The community head’s vote is counted if the head participates in the meeting;

▪️the community head will have the right to suspend a council decision within 5 days and return it for reconsideration. If the council reconfirms the decision by 2/3 of the votes, it will enter into force.

▪️allowing the early termination of a village, settlement or city head’s powers by council decision where legal grounds exist, provided 2/3 of deputies support it in a secret ballot.

The draft law also provides that certain legal requirements, for example participation in council work and committee meetings, will not apply to mobilised deputies.

In addition, where there are security risks, the local council of a territorial community will be able to determine independently how deputies report and publish their reports, for example through a written or online report instead of an in-person report.

For more information on the draft law, follow the link: https://itd.rada.gov.ua/billinfo/Bills/Card/69537