Ukraine government
March 11, 2010
Yanukovych's close ally and former Finance Minister Mykola Azarov has been voted in as Prime Minister by the Ukrainian parliament after Yanukovych secured a coalition majority.
Azarov's appointment received 242 of 450 assembly votes. The coalition is made up of Yanukovych's Regions Party, the Communist Party, the Litvyn bloc and the People's Party.
Bitter battle
The creation of a coalition has been Yanukovych's main aim since he defeated former Prime Minister Tymoshenko in the February 7 presidential elections. The majority will give him control over Ukraine's three main institutions: the presidency, government and parliament.
Tymoshenko, who had taken legal steps to contest her defeat in the presidential elections, was ousted in a no-confidence vote last week. That paved the way for Yanukovych to form a new coalition and secure his position.
The president, whose victory tilted the former Soviet republic back towards Russia, proposed former Navy commander Mykhailo Yezhel as defense minister and Ukraine's ambassador to Moscow, Kostyantyn Khryshchenko, as foreign minister.
He also appointed Fedir Yaroshenko as Finance Minister Vasyl Tsushko as Economics Minister.
ng/AP/AFP/RTRS
Editor: Jennifer Abramsohn