Marchuk government

History

Formation

The Marchuk government was appointed directly by President Leonid Kuchma on 3 March 1995 in an acting capacity, and was subsequently appointed in a full capacity as Prime Minister on 8 June 1995 after the collapse of the Second Masol government. Having previously been appointed as First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Marchuk was the first of two prime ministers to be appointed directly by the President, along with Pavlo Lazarenko. Marchuk's government also had decreased powers after the 1995 Ukrainian constitutional agreement.

Fall

Soon after the government's establishment, tensions between Marchuk and Kuchma began to increase as Marchuk prepared for a presidential campaign of his own against Kuchma in 1999. Kuchma cited in his dismissal of Marchuk the worsening state of Ukraine's economy, Marchuk's focus on bolstering his political image, the fact that deputies are forbidden from holding political office, but this was regarded by Marchuk's allies as an effort to push him out of power.