2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
For that purpose it was decided to form a coalition with several individual members of other factions (NUNS and BYuT). This form of coalition was nicknamed"coalition of tushki" (Cyrillic: тушки, plural of тушка, "body of a small animal"). One of the leader of the Party of Regions and the head of the parliamentary procedural committee, Oleksandr Yefremov stated that party will request the Constitutional Court to elucidate the clauses of this law unless the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc faction does it. According to President Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine could not afford early parliamentary elections because "the prolonged political instability would provoke a worsening of the economic crisis in the country".


2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
Ukrainian lawmakers formed a new coalition on March 11, 2010 which included Bloc Lytvyn, Communist Party of Ukraine and Party of regions. 235 deputies from the 450-member parliament had signed the coalition agreement. The same day the Our Ukraine- People's Self Defense faction officially announces that would be in opposition to the new coalition. On March 3, 2010 Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko had already moved into opposition. According to Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko the forming of the coalition was a coup d'etat.


2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
On March 11, 2010 Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko appealed to the Central Election Commission of Ukraine to terminate the parliamentary mandates of its six parliamentarians who had joined the new parliamentary coalition.


2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
The Verkhovna Rada appointed Mykola Azarov Prime Minister of Ukraine on March 11, 2010. At its morning plenary session the parliament adopted two declarations: to appoint Azarov as the Prime-minister and to dismiss Tymoshenko as the Prime-minister. 242 out of 343 lawmakers registered in the session hall voted for this decision. The coalition is called "Stability and Reforms".


2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
The parliamentary coalition was officially formed on March 16, 2010 when a list of 235 members of the coalition was published on in the official newspaper of the Ukrainian parliament, Holos Ukrayiny. The list included the Party of Regions faction in all its entirety (172 members), all 27 members of the Communist Party faction, all 20 members of the Lytvyn Bloc, six members of the faction of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYuT), another six from the Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense faction, and four independent deputies. Among the non-fractional parliamentary members and parliamentary defectors are politicians Oleksandr Omelchenko, Ivan Pliushch, Inna Bohoslovska, Taras Chornovil, and others.


2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Lytvyn stated on April 2, 2010 that the coalition could expand to 260 members "by the middle of the next month". On April 30, 2010 he expected the coalition to grow to 252 lawmakers after May 11, 2010.


2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
On March 30, 2010 the coalition was expanded to 238 parliamentarians, and on March 31, 2010 and April 1, 2010 to 240. On April 13, 2010 the tenth representative of BYuT joined the coalition as an independent MP, making the coalition 241 parliamentarians strong. On May 11, 2010 another five lawmakers of BYuT joined the coalition. And on May 14, 2010 another BYuT lawmakers joined the coalition. On June 1, 2010 two more BYuT members joined the coalition. The Stability and Reforms coalition now includes 249 lawmakers.


2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
On June 18, 2010 another six lawmakers of Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense joined the coalition. On June 29, 2010 and on July 2, 2010 another two member of the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko faction joined the coalition, making the coalition 260 deputies strong. On July 9, 2010 the coalition included 265 MPs out of the 450 in parliament.


2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
After the constitutional amendments of 2004 where reverted in October 2010 the parliamentary majority (instead of coalition) was announced by the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Volodymyr Lytvyn consisting of 227 MPs.


2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
In February 2011 the new faction Reforms for the Future became part of the coalition.


2010 Ukrainian government formation, Background
According to ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko (in April 2010) lawmakers had been offered a bribe of $5 million each in order to join the coalition. In June 2010 Yuriy Lutsenko and Tymoshenko claimed that opposition deputies have been offered up to 1.5 million dollars and 25,000 dollars monthly payment if they join the coalition.


2010 Ukrainian local elections
The 2010 Ukrainian local elections took place on 31 October 2010, two years before the 2012 general election. The voter turnout across Ukraine was about 50%, which is considered low in comparison to previous elections.


2010 Ukrainian local elections
The ruling Party of Regions won clear majorities in most regions and big cities throughout Ukraine (except in the west of the country), leaving Batkivshchyna far behind. The Ukrainian nationalistic party Svoboda achieved notable success in Eastern Galicia while Our Ukraine, a major force in Ukrainian politics in the early 21st century, met with total failure. The results were contested by opposition politicians and the Communist Party.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Rescheduling of election date
On February 16, 2010 the Verkhovna Rada (the parliament of Ukraine) cancelled all Ukrainian local election dates original set for May 30, 2010. A new date was not set but Members of Parliament expected new local elections in the spring of 2011. On April 2, 2010 the Verkhovna Rada set early local elections in a number of cities, towns and villages for June 20, 2010. According to opposition lawmaker Mykola Katerynchuk (Our Ukraine–People's Self-Defense Bloc faction) the voting results proved that the Party of Regions intends to extend its influence over local government bodies, as the faction did not support elections in any of those regions where they already had a majority.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Rescheduling of election date
In late April 2010, President Viktor Yanukovych expected local elections in Ukraine to take place in 2011. In late May 2010, Yanukovych stated that local elections would be held the following autumn. Yanukovych also called for these elections to be based on the majority representation system and stressed the need to adopt the relevant laws.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Rescheduling of election date
On July 1, 2010, the Verkhovna Rada scheduled the election for Sunday, October 31, 2010. On July 11, lawmakers approved the bill on the procedure for holding the elections. A total of 259 out of 485 MPs registered voted to pass the bill. Before voting, the Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko faction walked out of parliament in protest against consideration the bill without taking into account the faction's proposals. The party is planning to challenge the law on local elections under a majority-proportional system at the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. This was done by the Front of Changes party on August 5, 2010. Besides Front of Changes and Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Tigipko's Strong Ukraine party also stated the law violates the Constitution.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Restrictions for political parties
Parties that have been established less than a year before the election and political blocs were at first not permitted to compete in the election. This meant that parties like Strong Ukraine and Front of Changes who are high in election polls were excluded. Soon Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko (which won 156 out of 450 seats in the 2007 parliamentary elections) announced it would not participate in the elections but its main component, the All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland", will.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Restrictions for political parties
On August 30, 2010 the Verkhovna Rada approved Party of Regions leader Oleksandr Yefremov's amendments to the law on the election extends the opportunity to participate in local elections to all parties, not only those registered more than a year before the elections. Similar bills submitted by lawmakers Lev Biriuk (Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko) and Arseniy Yatsenyuk (Our Ukraine-People's Self-Defense) had failed to collect the necessary number of votes to pass.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Electoral issues
Initially parties that had been established less than a year before the election and political blocs were not permitted to compete in the election; but on August 30, 2010 this restriction was abandoned by the Verkhovna Rada.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Electoral issues
Self-nomination for the post of mayor was not allowed. Half of the total number of local council deputies were to be elected from the lists of political parties in a multi-mandate constituency. The other half was elected under a majority system in single-mandate constituencies. The elections were held with closed lists. The election campaign started on September 11, 2010.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Electoral issues
Running up to the election a number of opposition parties complained about violations of election legislation by election commissions across the country. A number of territorial election commissions contained members who although expelled by their party were appointed under the quota of the party they were expelled from. Owing to the anomalies in the electoral law some parties, such as Batkivshchyna, were unable to register their candidates in several districts and provinces. Batkivshchyna-leader Yulia Tymoshenko claimed that "fraudulent Batkivshchyna party organizations were registered on orders from Viktor Yanukovych".


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Electoral issues, Regional exceptions
Except the election of Kyiv mayor, the Next Kyiv local election and the elections to Ternopil Regional Council elections will be conducted in all local authorities.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Electoral issues, Regional exceptions
The elections in rural councils are held under a simple plurality voting system based on single-member constituencies; the elections of mayors of cities, towns and villages are held under a plurality voting system in single-member constituencies that lie within the boundaries of the relevant city, town or village.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Electoral issues, Regional exceptions
Parties or candidates themselves can propose to run election in rural areas and for the posts of rural areas heads; only local parties can propose candidates for the post of city mayors.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Electoral issues, Regional exceptions
The Supreme Council of Crimea decided to hold the 2010 Crimean parliamentary election simultaneously with the Ukrainian local elections on August 4, 2010.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Electoral issues, Costs
Ukraine's Central Electoral Commission estimated the cost of holding local elections at 3.1 million Hryvnya in May 2010 and over 1 billion Hryvnya in July 2010. The Ukrainian Finance Ministry and the Central Election Commission signed a joint protocol, which envisaged a provision of 1.024 billion Hryvnya of budget funds the elections on September 14, 2010.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Results
The ruling Party of Regions won clear majorities in most regions and big cities throughout Ukraine (except in the west of the country); it is the biggest party in two-thirds of all cities. It was followed by All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland". The Ukrainian nationalistic party Svoboda achieved notable success in Eastern Galicia. Batkivshchyna, the party of the previous Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, remains the main opposition force although it was defeated in most regions (because of anomalies in the electoral law the party was unable to register their candidates in several districts). Our Ukraine, the party of previous President Yushchenko, met with total failure. Strong Ukraine gained about 6 percent of the votes nationwide.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Results
Ukraine's Central Election Commission has declined to publish nationwide results, citing, "these are local elections and traditionally we don't do that".


2010 Ukrainian local elections, Results
Opposition politicians and the Communist Party have complained of irregularities in the election. According to a survey of 2,000 people conducted in October 2010 by two Ukrainian nongovernmental organizations, the Democratic Initiatives Fund and OPORA, one in five Ukrainians were willing to sell his or her vote in the upcoming local elections. OPORA stated on November 1, 2010 that “there have been so many violations that we cannot say that [the election] was democratic, transparent and open.” But according to Prime Minister Mykola Azarov "The elections were absolutely without the use of administrative resources, naturally. Nobody interfered with our citizens." According to President Viktor Yanukovych "there were no systematic violations. This is emphasized by international observers and the police”.


2010 Ukrainian local elections, International reactions
The Council of Europe uncovered a number of problems in relation to a new electorate law approved just prior to the elections. International observers of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly stated the local elections in Ukraine were organised well. The European Parliament repeated the criticisms of the Council of Europe and stated the election "did not set a new, positive standard". According to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton "the electoral framework and the administration of the elections undermined public confidence in the electoral process and in the further consolidation of democracy in Ukraine".


2010 Ukrainian local elections, International reactions
The Obama administration criticised the conduct of the elections, saying they "did not meet standards for openness and fairness." The National Democratic Institute stated on November 2, 2010: “The environment surrounding Ukraine’s October 31 local elections has deteriorated compared to the situation during the presidential election earlier this year.”


2010 Ukrainian presidential election
Presidential elections were held in Ukraine on 17 January 2010. As no candidate received a majority of the vote, a run-off was held between Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych followed on 7 February.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election
On 14 February Yanukovych was declared President-elect and winner with 48.95% of the popular vote. According to Article 104 of Ukraine's Constitution, the President had to be sworn into office within 30 days of the official declaration of the results. Parliament subsequently scheduled Yanukovych's inauguration for 25 February.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election
On 17 February, the Supreme Administrative Court of Ukraine suspended the results following an appeal by Tymoshenko. The court suspended the Central Election Commission's ruling that announced that Yanukovych won the election, but did not postpone or cancel his inauguration. On 20 February, Tymoshenko withdrew her appeal.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Summary
Early-vote returns from the first round of the election held on 17 January showed Yanukovych in first place with 35.8% of the vote. He faced a 7 February 2010 runoff against Tymoshenko, who finished second (with 24.7% of the vote).


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Summary
Analysts predicted a slight advantage for Tymoshenko in the second (and final) round as she was more likely to attract voters from the other 16 candidates who did not proceed to the second round. Viktor Yanukovych refused to hold debates with his opponent before the second round of voting, saying Yulia Tymoshenko should either take responsibility for every word as prime minister, or go to the kitchen. After all ballots were counted, the Ukrainian Central Election Commission declared that Yanukovych won the election with 48.95% of the vote compared with 45.47% for Tymoshenko. Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc members immediately claimed that there was systematic and large-scale vote rigging in this run-off.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Summary
On 10 February 2010, Yanukovych called on Tymoshenko to abandon her protests and resign as Prime Minister. On 9 February 2010, Yanukovych had stated that Borys Kolesnykov was his preferred next Prime Minister of Ukraine. According to him pre-term parliamentary elections will be imminent if the Ukrainian parliament would not work effectively. Yanukovych also stated that, as the largest faction in the parliament at the time, his party was entitled to nominate the premier. On 15 February, Yanukovych stated "I do not rule out the candidature of Tigipko (as next Prime Minister). Tigipko is on the list which, in my opinion, will be discussed next week in parliament".


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Summary
On 16 February 2010, Ukraine's parliament had fixed 25 February 2010 for the inauguration of Yanukovych as president. On 17 February 2010, "the Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine", suspended the results of the election on Yulia Tymoshenko's appeal. On 20 February 2010, Tymoshenko withdrew her appeal after "the Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine" rejected her petition to scrutinize documents:— about 300,000 voters who voted but were not in the "Register of Voters of Ukraine";— about 1.3 million voters who "without right" voted in their homes;— about falsification in the election in the eastern regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv region, Crimea, etc.) — fixed by law-enforcement officials. Tymoshenko stated, "I and my political party will never recognize Yanukovych as the legitimately elected president of Ukraine", and "an honest court will assess that Yanukovych was not elected President of Ukraine, and that the will of the people had been rigged".


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Summary, Public opinion
Public Opinion Polls predicted the Party of Regions and Viktor Yanukovych's win in the 2010 Presidential election. in February 2010. According to an article in Kyiv Post in November 2009, Yanukovych's popularity in the Donbass was fading and Donbass voters voted mainly for Yanukovych to keep Tymoshenko from power.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Background
In Ukraine, the previous two presidential first round ballots have traditionally occurred in October.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Background
According to the Constitution of Ukraine, regular elections of the President of Ukraine are held on the last Sunday of the last month of the fifth year of the term of authority of the President of Ukraine. In the event of pre-term termination of authority of the President of Ukraine, elections of the President of Ukraine are held within ninety days from the day of termination of the authority.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Background
Early presidential elections can be held in case of presidential resignation, ill-health, impeachment or death.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Background
The President of Ukraine is elected by the citizens of Ukraine for a five-year term, on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage, by secret ballot.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Background
A candidate seeking election must be a citizen of Ukraine who has attained the age of thirty-five, has the right to vote, has resided in Ukraine for the past ten years prior to the day of elections, and has command of the state language as required by Article 103 of Ukraine's Constitution.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Background
On April 1, 2009, the Verkhovna Rada designated October 25, 2009, as the date for the first round of voting. Within a week, President Yushchenko filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court against Verkhovna Rada's October 25 date. The President's appeal argued that his inauguration on January 23, 2005, was the commencement of his five-year term of office and as such the next presidential election must be set for the last Sunday before January 23, 2010, in accordance with Article 103.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Background
On May 13, 2009, the court ruled in Yushchenko's favor, striking out the October 25th date for the elections. On May 14, 2009, the Party of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych stated that the presidential elections should now be held on January 17, 2010.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Background
On June 23, 2009, the Parliament rescheduled the date for the election for Sunday January 17, 2010, with 399 lawmakers out of 442 lawmakers registered in the session hall voted "for" the resolution "On appointing of regular election of President of Ukraine".


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Background
Minister of Internal Affairs Yuriy Lutsenko said on September 21, 2009, that he believes that the lists of voters at this presidential election will be more qualitative and more "clear" than it was at previous elections because "double names" were removed from the list. The same day the Party of Regions complained about a lot of mistakes in that list and that the number of voters fell in the Southern Ukraine and Eastern Ukraine and increased by 0.5–1% in Western Ukraine. It is the first time the state register of voters will be used in a Ukrainian election.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Law on presidential elections
Ukraine's President is elected by a two-round first-past-the-post voting system. The first round of voting was held on January 17, 2010. As no candidate in the first round ballot had 50% or more votes the two highest polling candidates faced off in a second round ballot which was held on February 7, 2010. Victor Yanukovych received the highest vote (48.96%) and is expected to be declared the winner. Under Ukrainian law president elect must take the oath within 30 days of the declaration of the poll which must be made before February 17, 2010.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Law on presidential elections
On July 24, 2009, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) amended the law on presidential elections reducing the official presidential campaign from 120 to 90 days. Outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko refused to sign the new law and lodged an appeal in Ukraine's Constitutional Court, but failed to outline in detail the grounds for any appeal. The speaker of the parliament, Volodymyr Lytvyn, signed the amended law into existence following the President's refusal to sign it.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Law on presidential elections
Maryna Stavniychuk, deputy head of the presidential secretariat and the President's spokesperson on legal matters stated "It is obvious that there are no serious political or legal grounds to consider the issue of the possible disruption of the presidential elections in Ukraine"


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Law on presidential elections
The amended law on the presidential elections required candidates to pay a 2,500,000 hryvnias (~308,000 USD) nomination deposit which will only be refunded to the two highest polling candidates that progressed to the second round of voting.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Law on presidential elections
On October 19, 2009, the Central Election Commission of Ukraine formed the 225 territorial election districts needed for carrying out the election.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Law on presidential elections
October 20, 2009, Ukraine's Constitutional Court announced its ruling declaring unconstitutional five aspects of the new law of the presidential election. Voters abroad will no longer have to be registered with the Ukrainian consulate in order to cast a vote. The courts will retain the right to consider without limitations any application or appeal in respect to a candidate's registration or the conduct of the election. The cancellation of absentee ballots remains as does the 90-day election period and the 2.5 million hryvnia deposit. The ruling of the Constitutional Court is not expected to impact seriously on the election as the amended legislation remains in place.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Law on presidential elections
On December 21, 2009, the Central Election Commission of Ukraine formed 113 foreign polling stations.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Law on presidential elections
Voters are permitted to vote at home during the presidential election.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Costs
The Central Election Commission has estimated the budget of the holding of regular presidential elections in Ukraine at 1.5 billion hryvnias (approximately 200 million US dollars) with additional costs required by candidates to fund their campaigns.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Costs
Each candidate is required to pay an election deposit of 2.5 million hryvnias (Approximately 300,000 US dollars) The deposit will be refunded to the two highest polling candidates who progress to the second round of elections.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Costs
On November 26 the Central Election Commission stated a total of 1.314 billion hryvnias is required to hold the presidential election, including 192.2 million in 2009 and 1.122 billion in 2010.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Costs
Assessments by political analysts show that each presidential candidate will have to spend at least US $150–200mn to promote himself; this includes buying story lines in the media, visual advertising, canvassing, printing political material and, work with electoral commissions.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Costs
Chairman of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine, Oleksandr Chernenko, also commented that presidential candidates will spend 1 billion US dollars on the election campaign


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Costs
The cost of the run-off ballot is estimated to cost US$119 million


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Timetable
Ukraine's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) has set the following timetable for the conduct of the election:


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Timetable
CEC has five days to assess and approve or reject nominations


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Timetable
CEC provides certified copies of the voters list to all candidates. Within Three days of registration Candidates must provide a statement of assets and income. Candidates allowed to commence official campaign one day after registration is finalized.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Timetable
As no single candidate had 50% or more of the total recorded vote the two highest polling candidates faced off in a second round ballot. The candidate with the highest vote in the second round will win the election.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Timetable
According to Article 104 of Ukraine's Constitution the President-elect within 30 days of the declaration of the poll must be sworn into office before Ukraine's parliament


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Nominated candidates
The following candidates nominated for the presidential elections (in ballot paper order) A total of 18 candidates ran for president.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Nominated candidates, Excluded candidates
All together the Central Election Commission had rejected sixteen applications for candidate registration


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Nominated candidates, Excluded candidates
The Central Election Commission refused to register Oleksandr Hordiichuk, Olena Osnach, Oleksandr Luzan, Hanna Kostiv, Oleksandr Vaschenko, Oleksandr Ohorodnikov, Vasyl Handula, Yurii Petlevana, Petro Rekalo, Anatolii Polischuk, Mykhailo Hamaniuk, Oleksandr Vretyk, Artem Polezhaka, Oleh Omelchenko, Natalia Vitrenko, Mykola Melnychenko, Serhii Martyian and Serhiy Schetinin. The reason stated was due to errors in their documentation, qualifications or failure to pay the required 2.5 million hryvnia nomination deposit.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Nominated candidates, Excluded candidates
Nominations closed on November 9, 2009. The Central Election Commission had until November 11 to process nomination documentations and November 13 to finalize the election list.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
The official presidential campaign commenced on October 19, 2009, with nominations opening on October 20 through to November 6. The "unofficial" campaign had already started during the summer of 2009 with tents of Front for Change distributing campaign material for Arseniy Yatsenyuk Front for Changes and large scale and billboards stating Others make problems. She Works (in the colors and letter type of Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko), and photos of Sergei Tigipko displayed in most Ukrainian towns and TV-adds of Yulia Tymoshenko and Volodymyr Lytvyn shown on national TV. According to Tymoshenko the "She Works" billboards were paid for by the Fatherland Party, and therefore they were also "social". Party of Regions deputy Andry Paruby officially requested that the prosecutor-general's office investigates the sources of financing of Tymoshenko's advertisements. He suggested that public money might have been used.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
Ukraine has proven more than once the degree to which the success of an election campaign depends on the level of professionalism and political spin techniques applied in election campaigns.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
The most popular candidates are former Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition party Viktor Yanukovych and current Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
Incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko's support has slumped from a high of 52% in 2004 to below 3% in Ukrainian public opinion polls. Most political commentators regard him as a heavy underdog who stands little chance of being re-elected to a second term of office. A recent public opinion poll indicated that 83% of Ukrainians will not vote for Yushchenko.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
On April 5, 2009, Arseniy Yatseniuk, former Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, announced his intention to run in the election. His popularity has slowly risen to around 12–14% and is now in third place behind Yanukovych and Tymoshenko.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
According to Oxford Analytica the working relationship between President Yushchenko and his Prime Minister Tymoshenko will be further complicated by the search of Yushchenko for partners other than Tymoshenko's Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko who will ensure his re-election. Since Yushchenko dismissed Tymoshenko as Prime Minister on September 8, 2005, the relations between Tymoshenko and Yushchenko, including the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine, have been hostile.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of 11 February 2009 Tymoshenko said her recent conflict with the President is a political competition and not ideological antagonisms and she emphasized that the "election struggle for the next presidential elections has virtually begun." During a visit to Brussels on February 10, 2009, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Lytvyn seconded that. In late February 2009, President Yushchenko called on all Ukrainian politicians to "stop the presidential election campaign until July 1."


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
On June 16, 2009, Tymoshenko accused Yushchenko, Yatseniuk and Yanukovych of having the same campaign headquarters financed by (businessman and) RosUkrEnergo owner Dmytro Firtash.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
Tymoshenko stated on June 22, 2009: "There is a team work on solving these issues between the President and the Prime Minister. Professional advice and support of the President will help the government during difficult times".


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
On August 11, 2009 Russian President Medvedev in an open letter directed at Viktor Yushchenko, raised a number of issues of concern related to the perceived "anti-Russian position of the current Ukrainian authorities". The Russian President's comments were considered by analysts and others including the President of Ukraine as Russia's interference in Ukraine's domestic affairs.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
On September 12, 2009, a tour called "With Ukraine in Heart" in support of Yulia Tymoshenko kick-started on Kyiv's Maidan Nezalezhnosti. The most popular singers and bands of Ukraine took part in the tour.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
On September 14, 2009, the Communist Party of Ukraine, the Social Democratic Party of Ukraine (united), the Justice Party and the Union of Leftists signed an agreement on creating the bloc of leftists and center-leftists and a unitary participation in the presidential election.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
The Pechersky district court in Kyiv on September 22, 2009, banned "any unfair advertisement" against Tymoshenko in response to a video (allegedly made by the Party of Regions), which claimed that Tymoshenko does not deliver on her promises. The video reportedly mocked Tymoshenko's main campaign slogan "She Works," which is frequently used in her advertisements.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
In October 2009 representatives of the Western Ukrainian intelligentsia called upon the candidates Yushchenko, Yatseniuk, Hrytsenko and "other representatives of national democratic forces" to withdraw in favour of Tymoshenko.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
On October 6, 2009, the incumbent President Yushchenko warned that there may be attempts to use regional television and radio companies to create advantages for the government in the election campaign.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
October 17, 2009, The Social-Democratic Party of Ukraine has backed a decision to create the bloc of left and center-left political forces and supported the leader of the Communist Party of Ukraine Petro Symonenko as a single candidate for the post of the Ukrainian president from left political forces


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
October 19 Official start of the Elections campaign 90-day period.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
October 20 Candidate nomination registration opens. Oleh Riabokon first candidate to officially nominate.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
October 20, Ukrainian Parliament voted to amend Ukraine's Constitution (390 out of 438 in favor) to remove provision related to Parliamentary immunity that prevents a member of parliament from being criminally liable, detained or arrested without the consent of the Verkhovna Rada. An earlier proposal to only remove immunity from the Parliament was defeated. The proposed new provisions also limits presidential immunity. The president can not be detained or arrested without the consent of the parliament however on conviction of an offense the President automatically loses office. The proposed amendments have been forwarded to Ukraine's Constitutional Court for review and will need to be reaffirmed by the parliament in February 2010


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
Political Analyst and senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, Andrew Wilson, has cast doubt on Arseny Yatseniuk, currently Ukraine's third most popular candidate, ability to maintain his meteoritic rise following a decline in his ratings dropping from a high of 13% in August to 9% in October. "Yatseniuk must look to plan B"


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
On November 6 the nominations were closed. The same day a Viktor Yushchenko aide amidst concern over the recent flu outbreak which claimed 97 lives has proposed the cancellation of the January election until May 2010 which would extend the President's term of office a further six months. The World Health Organization has stated that they expect a second and third wave of infections to occur in Spring (April to June)  bringing into further doubt Yushchenko's proposed cancellation. Under Ukraine's Constitution the elections can be canceled if a State of Emergency is declared. Also on November 6. 2009 the Emergencies Ministry stated it saw no grounds to introduce a state of emergency in Ukraine due to the flu epidemic. On November 9 President Yushchenko said the same.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
Serhy Lutsenko, the deputy head of the People's Self-Defense party expressed on November 11, 2009, concern that Viktor Yushchenko will support his past rival, Viktor Yanukovych, in a run-off election between Yanukovych and Tymoshenko.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
On December 3, 2009, the Ukrainian National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting complained that certain TV channels did not give equal conditions to all presidential candidates.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
On December 11, 2009, the European People's Party EPP called on "Ukraine's democratic forces" to unite around the most democratic candidate who will win through to the presidential run-off. All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland", the Our Ukraine People's Union, and the People's Movement of Ukraine (Rukh) are the EPP's partners in Ukraine.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
On December 11, 2009, candidate Viktor Yanukovych stated that his Party of Regions possesses information that "government representatives are currently "motivating" the chairmen of election commissions and seeking options for victory in every possible way" and called for his supporters go to the Maidan Nezalezhnosti in case of election fraud.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Electoral campaign
Bloc Yulia Tymoshenko proposes a referendum on the format of Constitutional reform - Parliamentary versus Presidential system of governance.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, First round ballot
The first round ballot was held on January 17 and was internationally widely recognized as meeting democratic standards.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, First round ballot
As no single candidate had received 50% or more votes in the first round ballot the two highest polling candidates, Viktor Yanukovych (35.32%) and Yulia Tymoshenko (25.05%) progressed to the second final run-off ballot which was held on February 7, 2010.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, First round ballot
Ukraine's incumbent president, Viktor Yushchenko, with 5.45% support, came in fifth place behind Serhiy Tihipko and Arseniy Yatsenyuk who had each respectively received 13.05% and 6.69% of the vote.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, First round ballot
Peter Simonenko, Volodymyr Lytvyn, Oleh Tyahnybok and Anatoliy Hrytsenko all scored between 4 and 1% of the votes. The remaining nine candidates for the presidency gained less than 1% of the votes.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Second round ballot
The second round of voting between Viktor Yanukovych and Yulia Tymoshenko took place on February 7, 2010. Exit polls indicated that Yanukovych had been elected, with the National Election Poll placing him first at 48.7% of the vote to Tymoshenko's 45.5%.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Second round ballot
With 100% of the ballots counted, the tally was 12,481,268 votes for Yanukovich (48.95%) and 11,593,340 votes for Tymoshenko (45.47%), giving Yanukovich a lead of 3.48%. There were 1.19% invalid votes and 4.36% of voters chose to vote "Against all" (candidates). In Kyiv, the number of voter choosing "Against all" was close to 8%. 25.5 million Ukrainians voted in the second round.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Second round ballot
The Ukrainian Central Election Commission and international observers found no evidence of significant electoral fraud and said that the voting and counting was fair. Tymoshenko's party said that it would challenge the result in 1,000 of the country's 30,000 ballot boxes (as many as 900,000 ballots – enough to make a difference in the final outcome), claiming that the counting process was unfair. Violations cited by Tymoshenko's camp included home voting and the busing of voters to polling stations, which was explicitly permitted by law.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Second round ballot
Yanukovich's party activists rallied outside the buildings of the Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine and the Kyiv Administrative Court of Appeals the days after the second round of the election.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Second round ballot
A few days after the election, Yanukovich received congratulations from the leaders of Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkey the United Kingdom, the United States, Uzbekistan, NATO and the European Union. Still, Tymoshenko refused to concede defeat, and Tymoshenko's party promised to challenge the result. On February 17, 2010 the Administrative Court of Ukraine, suspended the results of the election on Yulia Tymoshenko's appeal.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Second round ballot
The court suspended the Central Election Commission of Ukraine ruling that announced that Viktor Yanukovych won the election. Tymoshenko withdrew her appeal on February 20, 2010 after the Higher Administrative Court in Kyiv rejected her petition to scrutinize documents from election districts in Crimea and also to question election and law-enforcement officials.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Second round ballot
The same day (February 20) Tymoshenko announced that she will not challenge the results of the second round of the presidential election in the Supreme Court of Ukraine since she believed there were no legal provisions for such an appeal, although Tymoshenko also stated "an honest court will assess that Yanukovych wasn't elected President of Ukraine, and that the will of the people had been rigged".


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Second round ballot
Voting analysis showed that during the election creases started to emerge across the traditional geographical voters patterns. Tymoshenko made inroads in Yanukovych's traditional east and south Ukraine base of support, whereas Yanukovych did the same in Tymoshenko's traditional west and central Ukraine base of support. More women voted for Yanukovych than for Tymoshenko.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Second round ballot, Exit Polls
All exit polls conducted during the final round of voting reported a win for Viktor Yanukovych over Yulia Tymoshenko.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Issues
The list of major issues raised in the campaign included


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Issues
According to the Director of the Penta Center for Political Studies Volodymyr Fesenko there were only small differences in the election programs of the various candidates.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Issues, Fraud suspicions and accusations
According to all international organizations observing the election, allegations of electoral fraud in relation to the first round ballot were unfounded, they declared that the conduct of the elections was within internationally recognized democratic standards and a testament to the will of the people of Ukraine.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Issues, Fraud suspicions and accusations
A December 2009 poll found that 82 percent of Ukrainians expected vote rigging, those fears were shared by some election observers, both international and domestic. The latter also fearing the lack of an independent exit poll; which they see as essential to deterring vote fraud.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Issues, Fraud suspicions and accusations
Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine's Prime-minister and one of the main candidates who sought election in the poll stated that: "We will not challenge any election returns to avoid tremors, which may bring about instability in this country. If the people elect their president, and this is not Yulia Tymoshenko, I will take this choice easy, for sure"


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Issues, Fraud suspicions and accusations
Former President Leonid Kuchma also excluded the possibility of a third round ballot. According to Kuchma, "during the election campaign in 2004 the decision about holding the third round was political and it will not be repeated. The 2004 decision was an exclusion from a rule".


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Issues, Fraud suspicions and accusations
Candidates Victor Yanukovych and Yulia Tymoshenko both accused the other of intending to use vote rigging to win the election during the election campaign. Early January 2010 Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko warned that there is a real threat of "administrative pressure" being applied during the counting of votes at the presidential election. Viktor Yushchenko without providing any details has alleged that the highest threat of falsification in the first round will be applied by Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc; "because candidate Viktor Yanukovych will enter the second round in any case".


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Issues, Fraud suspicions and accusations
Allegations were made that Viktor Yushchenko had made a deal with Viktor Yanukovych in order to secure a number of political positions for members of his team in exchange for supporting Viktor Yanukovych's campaign  Concern has been expressed that Viktor Yushchenko had tried to prevent news of the deal from being published by declaring it a State Secret.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Issues, Fraud suspicions and accusations
A joint poll conducted by Democratic Initiatives and Ukrainian Sociology Service of January 2010 showed that less than 5% of the polled believed that the presidential election would be fair with 41.4% of respondents that believed that the election results could be manipulated and 15.7% being certain that the entire vote would be rigged. According to the same poll 5.8% of those polled stated they were ready to sell their votes if the sum suited them and 1.9% of the respondents were ready to sell their votes for any presidential candidates and for any funds.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Issues, Fraud suspicions and accusations
A voter casting more than one ballot, or selling her/his vote, could have faced as much as two years jail time.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Opinion polls
January 2, 2010, was the beginning of the 15-day media blackout on reporting of election polls before the January 17 first round election.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Opinion polls
A poll released December 15, 2009, by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems has indicated that Viktor Yanukovych (31%) as the most likely to win the presidential election in a contest with Yulia Tymoshenko (19%). All other candidates were below 5% with Victor Yushchenko on 3.5% with a negativity rating of 83%. The survey also indicated that Ukrainians are pessimistic about the socio-political situation in the country. Seventy-four percent believe Ukraine is on a path toward instability and more than nine in ten Ukrainians are dissatisfied with the economic (96%) and political situation (92%) in the country.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Opinion polls
According to other recent opinion polls, the Party of Regions candidate Viktor Yanukovych (25.0% to 33.3%) was placed first among viable presidential candidates, with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (15.5% to 18.4%) coming in second, and Front for Change candidate Arseniy Yatsenyuk (6.7% to 14.5%) in third place. Incumbent President, Viktor Yushchenko (2.0% to 3.8%) following his decline in popularity with the Ukrainian public comes in at a distant sixth place behind leader of the Communist Party Petro Symonenko (3.4% to 4.5%) and Parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn (1.4% to 5.8%).


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Opinion polls
A survey conducted by U.S.-based International Foundation for Electoral Systems and financed by the United States Agency for International Development (November 21 to 29) lists Viktor Yushchenko as the highest negativity rating (83%) and Viktor Yanukovych with the most positive rating (42%)


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Opinion polls
An opinion poll conducted by FOM-Ukraine in September/October 2009 expected the turnout to be at least 85.1%. The poll carried out by the Oleksandr Yaremenko Institute for Social Research in December 2009 predicted (at least) a 70% turnout.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Opinion polls
Media were prohibited by Ukrainian law from reporting the results of public opinion polls for the election (starting) from January 2 until election day on January 17, 2010.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expected (in November 2009) that some 600 international observers will be monitoring the elections. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will send around 60 long-term and 600 short-term observers to Ukraine to monitor the presidential elections, Ukraine had submitted an invitation to the OSCE to monitor the elections. This electoral observation mission is headed by Portuguese politician João Soares, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. The OSCE/ODIHR long term observation mission was officially opened on November 26, 2009. On January 12, 2009, the OSCE where not satisfied with the level of funding for salaries and transport services.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
The European Union member-states will send over 700 observers to monitor the elections. The Canada Ukraine Foundation (a Canadian NGO) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will also send observers. The PACE delegation is led by Hungarian politician Mátyás Eörsi. Late November the PACE delegation was sceptical the elections would meet the organization's standards. On December 8, 2009 Renate Wohlwend, co-rapporteur of PACE stated that PACE might continue to monitor Ukrainian politics after the country's presidential election.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
Wohlwend had also called on the Ukrainian parliament to amend a law on the presidential elections as soon as possible. Wohlwend expressed concern over the inclusion of a provision in Ukraine's electoral legislation giving the election commission the right to amend the electoral rolls on the day of the ballot. She expressed concern this could allow the rigging of the election results.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
The Polish European Center of Geopolitical Analysis did send 20 observers to monitor signs of xenophobia during the presidential election campaign.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
On December 9, 2009, candidate Victor Yanukovych at a meeting with an OSCE election observation mission stated that he is afraid Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko might rig the presidential election.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
A total of 450 official observers from the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) will monitor the elections.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
Paweł Kowal lead the delegation of the European Parliament's observers; this delegation included ten people, who cooperated closely with the delegations of observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of Europe, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
A total of 3,149 international observers did monitor the January 17 presidential election in Ukraine.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
On January 18, 2010, the OSCE announced it would send same number of observers to monitor Ukraine's second round of the election as in the first round. At the same time it called for bringing Ukraine's election laws in line with international norms but nevertheless it endorsed the first round of the Ukrainian presidential poll, saying it was of "high quality" and demonstrated "significant progress".


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
After the second round of the election international observers and the OSCE called the election transparent and honest.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, International observers
According to Serhiy Paskhalov, the head of presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko's main campaign office in Dnipropetrovsk, international observers were physically unable to register mass irregularities in the second round of the presidential election. According to Paskhalov six foreign observers had monitored the run-off presidential election at 469 polling stations in six electoral districts in Dnipropetrovsk region.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Results
Nominations by parties and candidates to run in the election closed on November 6, 2009. Eighteen candidates in all have been nominated. The Central Election Committee had until November 11, 2009, to process documentation and finalize the election list.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Results
The first round of the election was held on January 17, 2010. Voter turnout was approximately 67 percent, compared to 75 percent at the 2004 presidential election. Incumbent president Viktor Yushchenko was defeated having received only 5.45% of the vote. Viktor Yanukovych and Yulia Tymoshenko finished first and second in the first round and faced each other in the second round ballot held on February 7. Voter turnout in the second round was approximately 69%. On February 14, with all second round votes counted, Yanukovich was officially declared a winner of the election with 48.95%, compared to Tymoshenko's 45.47%.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Results
The election has been widely recognized and endorsed as being fair and an accurate reflection of voters' intentions by all international agencies observing the election including the OSCE and PACE.


2010 Ukrainian presidential election, Results, Electoral maps
Note: The above maps are based on the percentage of the national vote and as such is an accurate representation of the results of the election as each region is shown in relation to the overall result.


2010 Ulster Grand Prix
2010 Ulster Grand Prix races were held on the Dundrod Circuit between 9–14 August 2010 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 1; 2010 1000cc Superstock race final standings
Saturday 14 August 2010 5 laps – 37.005 miles (Reduced Race Distance) Dundrod Circuit


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 1; 2010 1000cc Superstock race final standings
Fastest Lap and new lap record: Ian Hutchinson, 3' 21.599 131.599 mph on lap 4


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 2; 2010 600cc Supersport race final standings
Saturday 14 August 2010 6 laps – 44.406 miles Dundrod Circuit


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 2; 2010 600cc Supersport race final standings
Fastest Lap: Michael Dunlop, 3' 27.187 128.599 mph on lap 6


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 3a; 2010 250cc Combined Race final standings
Saturday 14 August 2010 6 laps – 44.406 miles Dundrod Circuit


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 3a; 2010 250cc Combined Race final standings
Fastest Lap: Ian Lougher, 3' 41.807 120.122 mph on lap 3


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 4; 2010 1000cc Superbike Race 1 final standings
Saturday 14 August 2010 6 laps – 44.406 miles Dundrod Circuit


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 4; 2010 1000cc Superbike Race 1 final standings
Fastest Lap: Keith Amor, 3' 20.016 133.209 mph on lap 5


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 5; 2010 600cc Supersport race 2 final standings (Combined Result)
Saturday 14 August 2010 6 laps – 44.406 miles Dundrod Circuit


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 5; 2010 600cc Supersport race 2 final standings (Combined Result)
Fastest Lap: Ian Hutchinson, 3' 079 128.047 mph on lap 3 – Part 1


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 6; 2010 1000cc Superbike Race 2 final standings
Saturday 14 August 2010 5 laps – 37.005 miles Dundrod Circuit


2010 Ulster Grand Prix, Race results, Race 6; 2010 1000cc Superbike Race 2 final standings
Fastest Lap and New Outright Course Record: Bruce Anstey, 3' 18.870 133.977 mph on lap 5


2010 Ulster Rally
2010 Ulster Rally incorporating Rally Northern Ireland was held between 20–21 August 2010. The Rally HQ located in Antrim, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland and organised by the Northern Ireland Motor Club (NIMC) The 2010 Ulster Rally was the fifth round of the 2010 MSA British Rally Championship and the sixth round of the 2010 MSA British Historic Rally Championship.


2010 Ulster Senior Football Championship
The 2010 Ulster Senior Football Championship was the 122nd installment of the annual Ulster Senior Football Championship held under the auspices of the Ulster GAA. It was won by Tyrone who defeated Monaghan in the final to retain the title they won the previous year. The winning team received the Anglo-Celt Cup, and automatically advanced to the quarter-final stage of the 2010 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.


2010 Ulster Senior Football Championship
2010 was the final year of Armagh and Tyrone's eleven-year sharing of Ulster senior titles. The following year brought the rise of an exciting young Donegal team which consigned the decade-long dominance of those two counties to history.


2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
The 2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship was the 65th  installment of the annual Ulster Senior Hurling Championship held under the auspices of the Ulster GAA. Antrim were the defending champions and successfully claimed their ninth consecutive title, beating  finalists Down.


2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship, Format
The draw for the Ulster championship was seeded, and took place in a staggered single elimination format. Antrim received a bye to the final, Down and Derry to the quarteri-final and London to the second round. All six other teams entered in the first round.


2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship, Format
There was no entry from the Ulster Championship to the 2010 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship proper. Antrim instead entered that competition through the preliminary round of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.


2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship, Format
The other Ulster teams were not eligible, and took part in lower tier competitions, such as the 2010 Christy Ring Cup, the second tier All-Ireland hurling championship.


2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship, Format
The number of teams in the championship for 2010, as in 2008 and 2009, was ten.


2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship, Format
In order to avoid mismatches, the draw was set in set so that the weaker counties were not faced with the prospect of facing regional powers Antrim at an early stage; instead all the other counties took part in a series of elimination matches for the right to meet Antrim in the final.


2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship, Controversy
In the semifinal, London were expected to play Down for the right to face Antrim in the final. However, a class of fixtures occurred with London participating in the Nicky Rackard Cup, the third tier All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship competition.


2010 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship, Controversy
As Ulster GAA refused to re-organise the fixture, London forfeited the tie by walkover to Down; shortly thereafter, London GAA signalled their intention to leave the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship from 2011.


2010 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election
An election for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) was held on 22 September 2010.


2010 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, Background
Following poor results in the 2005 general election, the UUP held a leadership election, in which Reg Empey was successful. Empey formed an electoral coalition with the Conservative Party, but the UUP's only MP resigned from the party, and the coalition won no seats in the 2010 general election. Following the election, some party members urged him to remain leader but, on 15 May, Empey announced that he would resign in time for an election to be completed by the party's annual conference, in October or November. On 9 August 2010, it was announced that Empey would resign on 22 September 2010 and that the election would be held the same day. Nominations are due by 31 August 2010.


2010 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, Potential candidates
In May 2010, BBC News named five potential candidates for the leadership: Tom Elliott, Danny Kennedy, Basil McCrea, Michael McGimpsey and David McNarry.


2010 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, Potential candidates
Kennedy reportedly ruled himself out on 14 June 2010. Elliott announced on 22 June 2010 he would stand in the election, stating that he had a "vision for a progressive party". He was flanked by Kennedy, McNarry and McGimpsey when he announced, as well as by Mike Nesbitt and Assembly Chief Whip Fred Cobain. McCrea officially announced his intention to stand on 23 August 2010.


2010 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, Policy divide
One of the most prominent issues in the leadership choice was relations with the other major unionist party, the Democratic Unionist Party. While Kennedy repeatedly called for a pact or an alliance with the DUP, McCrea was strongly against it, claiming that such an alliance would only increase voter support for SF in the republican camp.


2010 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, Policy divide
Elliott stated on 25 August 2010 that he was also opposed to a single Unionist party  and that he would seek to reform the electoral link with the Conservative Party in order that candidates would stand as UUP and not Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force.


2010 Umbrian regional election
The Umbrian regional election of 2010 took place on 28–29 March 2010.


2010 Umbrian regional election
The three main candidates were Catiuscia Marini of the Democratic Party, Fiammetta Modena of The People of Freedom and Paola Binetti of the Union of the Centre.


2010 Umbrian regional election
Marini won by a landslide, retaining the region for the centre-left.


2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup
The 2010 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup was the eighth edition of the Under-19 Cricket World Cup and took place in New Zealand. Since 1998, the tournament has been held every 2 years. This edition had 16 teams competing in 44 matches between 15 and 30 January 2010. These included the 10 ICC Full Members and 6 Qualifiers. The tournament was originally scheduled to take place in Kenya, but the International Cricket Council (ICC) moved it to New Zealand after an inspection in June 2009 found that it would be unrealistic to expect Kenya to complete preparations in time.


2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup
Australia won the tournament, beating Pakistan in the final by 25 runs. South African Dominic Hendricks scored the most runs in the tournament, and Raymond Haoda of Papua New Guinea claimed the most wickets.


2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Teams
16 teams participated in the competition. The 10 nations with ICC Full Membership automatically qualified for the tournament. 6 additional teams were determined by the 2009 Under-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.


2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Groups
The following groups were chosen for the World Cup 2010 by the International Cricket Council. The number alongside gives the rank of the team. The tournament will begin with a league stage consisting of four groups of four. Each team will play each of the other teams in its group once.


2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Groups
South Africa (2) Australia (6)  Ireland (11) United States (15)


2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Groups
New Zealand (3) Sri Lanka (7) Zimbabwe (10) Canada (14)


2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Groups
Pakistan (4) Bangladesh (8) West Indies (9) Papua New Guinea (13)


2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup squads
This is a list of the squads picked for the 2010 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A
The 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A was contested from 3 July to 30 October 2010. The tournament (also known as the ABSA Under-21 Provincial Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the top tier of 2010 edition of the Under-21 Provincial Championship, an annual Under-21 inter-provincial rugby union competition featuring fourteen South African provincial unions.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A
The tournament was won by  Western Province U21; they beat  Blue Bulls U21 43–32 in the final played on 30 October 2010. Boland U21 were relegated to Group B for 2011.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Competition rules and information
There were seven participating teams in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A. These teams played each other twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Competition rules and information
Teams received four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded to teams that scored four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lost a match by seven points or less. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Competition rules and information
The top four teams qualified for the title play-off semi-finals. The team that finished first had home advantage against the team that finished fourth, while the team that finished second had home advantage against the team that finished third. The final would be played as a curtain raiser for the 2010 Currie Cup Premier Division final.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Competition rules and information
The team that finished bottom of Group A had to play in a promotion/relegation play-off against the champion of Group B for a place in the 2011 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Teams
The following teams took part in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A competition:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Standings
The final league standings for the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A were:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Standings
The top four teams qualify to the semi-finals, with the higher-placed team having home advantage. The bottom team qualify to the relegation play-off, having home advantage against the Group B champions.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Standings
Points breakdown:* 4 points for a win* 2 points for a draw* 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less* 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Standings, Round-by-round
The table below shows each team's progression throughout the season. For each round, their cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Fixtures
The following matches were played in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Honours
The honour roll for the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A was as follows:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Player statistics
The following table contain points which were scored in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Mlungisi Bali • Robbie Coetzee • Eugene Cunha • Dalton Davis • Rossouw de Klerk • Ernst Dinkelmann • Andries Ferreira • Cornell Hess • Vincent Koch • AJ le Roux • Morné Mellett • Franco Mostert • Wilhelmus Cornelius Nel • Juan-Philip Pike • Jono Ross • Marnus Schoeman • CJ Stander • Jacques Verwey • Peet Vorster


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Clayton Blommetjies • Marnitz Boshoff • Francois Brummer • Tendayi Chikukwa • Andries Coetzee • Branco du Preez • Danie Faasen • Deon Helberg • Adri Jacobs • Sampie Mastriet • Whestley Moolman • Simphiwe Mtimkulu • JC Roos • Tom Seabela • Gerhard van den Heever • Ruan van Rooyen • Justin van Staden


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Antonie Earle • Etienne Carel Greeff • Tertius Christiaan Harmse • Kurt Haupt • Mulaleni Alfred Khoza • GD Kotzee • Ryno Richard Lopes • Andrew Lulama Mabeta • Mpho Thabo Motau • Jaco Oosthuizen • Marius Oosthuizen • Tumelo Abram Thage • Abraham Philippus van der Merwe


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Fyzel Cornell Afrika • Lee Thomas Becker • TC Botha • Michael Patrick Dammert • Regis Pierre Daniels • Donovan Dirks • Ashley Peter Godfrey Dreyden • Daniel van Renen Ferreira • Jeffrey William Fransman • Gerhardus Goosen • Charl Gerhardus Herbst • Hermanus Izak Janse van Rensburg • Allan Sampson Johnson • Rossouw Kruger • Herman Johan Louw • Roberto Lupini • Ashley Ernest Raaf • Franklin Garen Smit • Nicolaas Strydom • Harold Geraldo Stuart • Izak Francois Swiegers • Francois van Wyk • Paulus Philuppus Viljoen • Ashwell Williams • Johnwin Witbooi


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Donovan Theodore Arendse • Wichard Boonzaaier • Graeme Peter Cupido • Dual Erasmus • Heinrich Adolf Gabler • Francois Geduld • Brynn Michael Gericke • Jan Bernadus Hugo • Yazeed Johnson • Ryan Jarone Jordaan • Johandré Lazenby • Justin Kelvyn Gizzler Morgan • Gavern Germaine Skippers • Hendrik Handré van der Merwe • Wellisly Richaan van Rooy • Tashwill Silvino van Zyl • Evan Andrew Visser • Kenwinn Wiener • Percival Godfrey Williams


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Gavin Annandale • JC Astle • Antonie Earle • Martin Ferreira • Deon Gouws • Brendon Groenewald • Richard Harris • Frank Herne • Niel Kapp • Lappies Labuschagné • Oupa Mohojé • Tumelo Moholo • Trevor Nyakane • Hanno Pieterse • Boom Prinsloo • Marcel van der Merwe • Schalk van der Merwe • Fanie van der Walt • Philip van der Walt • Henry van Niekerk • Dirk Wessels


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Enrico Acker • Riaan Britz • Franna du Toit • Cameron Jacobs • Inus Kritzinger • Hoffmann Maritz • Alec Mhlanga • Mayibuye Ndwandwa • Jaco Oosthuizen • Kholo Ramashala • Nico Scheepers • Earl Snyman • Jamba Ulengo • Robbie van Schalkwyk • Piet van Zyl • George Whitehead


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Moekoa Bolofo • William Clift • Erick Colyn • Zandré de Bruin • Sias Ebersohn • Evert Ryno Fourie • Egan Gysman • John-Henry Harris • James Calib William Hellawell • Siya Mangaliso • Shaun McGeer • Izak Stephanus Muller • Jan Petrus Oosthuizen • Grant Ramohapetjie Shai • Divandré Strydom • Juan-Pierre van Rooyen • Johan van Schalkwyk


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Louis Albertse • Renaldo Bothma • David Bulbring • Sebastian de Chaves • Ruan Dreyer • Wessel du Rand • François du Toit • Marcell Esterhuyse • Herman Fourie • Wouter Heijmans • Mark Robert Hennig • Marnitz Jacobs • Shane Kirkwood • Ashley Kohler • Jaco Kriel • Hendrik Daniel la Grange • RJ Liebenberg • Shaun McDonald • Caylib Oosthuizen • Maurice Johan Rudman • Heinrich Terblanche • Ewald van der Westhuizen • Thurston Christopher Zimri


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Riaan Arends • Justin Botha • Wian Buys • Hein Cronjé • Jacques Erasmus • Chuma Faas • Divan Ferguson • Kabous Janse van Rensburg • Morné Laubscher • Blake Leighton Mecuur • Wandile Mjekevu • Dewald Nel • Sandile Ngcobo • Rudy Paige • Wilton Pietersen • Jacques Pretorius • Luan Steenkamp • Winston Williams


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Sean Mark Manton • Faubou Simplice • PJ Uys • Daniel van der Merwe


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
André Barnard • Ryno Bosman • Andries Botha • Stompie de Wet • Cornell du Preez • Gottlieb du Raan • Marius Fourie • Jan Gerhardus Joubert • Strand Kruger • JC Oberholzer • Henri Scharneck • Chris Schoonraad • Solomzi Sotsaka • Ernie Strydom • HP Swart • Jaice Terblanche • John Andrew Truter • Marchant van Rooyen • Jamie Zwiegelaar


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Leighton Bezuidenhout • Christiaan Alexander Schumyn Botha • Tiaan Dorfling • Joubert Engelbrecht • Louis Fouché • Armandt André Joubert • SP Marais • Francois Nel • Tershwin Raubenheimer • Dylon Steward Siegelaar • Hennie Skorbinski • Andrew van Wyk • Juandré Williams


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Jacob Daniel de Villiers • Adriaan Engelbrecht • Gerhard Nortier • Christo Potgieter • Clinton Wagman


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Daniel Adongo • Tim Agaba • Dale Chadwick • Kyle Cooper • Cameron Quinton Dunlop • Dexter Fahey • Roy Godfrey • Lambert Groenewald • Monde Hadebe • Francois Hanekom • Juan Language • Shaun Malton • Jandré Marais • Peet Marais • Tera Mtembu • Kene Okafor • Jaco Otto • Julian Redelinghuys • Hannes Snyman • Meyer Swanepoel • Adriaan Theisinger


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
De Wet Bergh • Guy Cronjé • Ross Cronjé • Quinton Paul Dormehl • Willie du Plessis • Dwayne Jenner • Piet Lindeque • Howard Mnisi • Wynand Pienaar • Gouws Prinsloo • Charles Purdon • Cobus Reinach • Mark Richards • S'bura Sithole • Rosko Specman • Arno Christiaan van Zyl


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Tom Botha • Tertius Daniller • Albé de Swardt • Stephan Greeff • Yaya Hartzenberg • Grant Hattingh • Reniel Hugo • Reuben Johannes • Siya Kolisi • Nick Köster • Helmut Lehmann • Samkelo Mabombo • Quinn Roux • JP Smith • Ruan Smith • Sidney Tobias • Wimpie van der Walt • Alistair Vermaak


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Squad lists
Tythan Adams • Kurt Coleman • Lionel Cronjé • JP du Plessis • Martin du Toit • JJ Engelbrecht • Nic Groom • Stokkies Hanekom • Berton Klaasen • Sam Lane • Ryan Nell • Nathanael Paul Pekeur • Danie Poolman • Johann Sadie • Louis Schreuder • Gary van Aswegen


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Players, Discipline
The following table contains all the cards handed out during the tournament:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A, Referees
The following referees officiated matches in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B
The 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B was contested from 6 August to 15 October 2010. The tournament (also known as the ABSA Under-21 Provincial Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the second tier of 2010 edition of the Under-21 Provincial Championship, an annual Under-21 inter-provincial rugby union competition featuring fourteen South African provincial unions.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B
The tournament was won by  Falcons U21; they beat  Eastern Province U21 53–36 in the final played on 15 October 2010. They were also promoted to Group A for 2011.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Competition rules and information
There were seven participating teams in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B. These teams played each other once over the course of the season, either at home or away.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Competition rules and information
Teams received four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded to teams that scored four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lost a match by seven points or less. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Competition rules and information
The top four teams qualified for the title play-off semi-finals. The team that finished first had home advantage against the team that finished fourth, while the team that finished second had home advantage against the team that finished third. The final would be played as a curtain raiser for the 2010 Currie Cup First Division final.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Competition rules and information
The team that finished top of Group B had to play in a promotion play-off against the bottom team of Group A for a place in the 2011 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group A.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Teams
The following teams took part in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B competition:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Standings
The final league standings for the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B were:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Standings
The top four teams qualify to the semi-finals, with the higher-placed team having home advantage. The title winner qualify to the promotion play-off, playing away from home against the bottom team from Group A.


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Standings
Points breakdown:* 4 points for a win* 2 points for a draw* 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less* 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Standings, Round-by-round
The table below shows each team's progression throughout the season. For each round, their cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Fixtures
The following matches were played in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Honours
The honour roll for the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B was as follows:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Player statistics
The following table contain points which were scored in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Brett Andrew Allam • Onke Dubase • Billy Dutton • Odwa Gxamza • Zukisani Gxokwana • Peter Gerald Jackson • Ramon Shadley Jewell • Abonga Makapela • Xola Mapapu • Luvuyo Ngemntu • Luzuko Nyabaza • Frederik Petrus Potgieter • Wandile Putuma • John Rohlandt • Juan Schwarz • Lukhanyo Siyobo • Nkosikona Solimo • Wynand Wagenaar


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Simthembile Cakwe • Kyle Edwards • Okuhlo Joyi • Justin Warren Kopke • Lwando Makhongolo • Leon Andrew Mauer • Byron McGuigan • Saneliso Ngoma • Sino Nyoka • Kyle Mark Theron • Garneth Francois van Rayner • Garth van Rayner


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Zingisa April • Dewald Barnard • Thembelani Bholi • Samuel Borsah • Christie Henderson Dicks • Ronald Ferreira • Keenan Rodney Frieslaar • Ferdi Gerber • Christiaan Hermanus Grobler • Daniel du Preez Grobler • Werner Kapp • Wade Lotter • Athenkosi Manentsa • Thabiso Lucky Mngomezulu • George Frederick Rademan • Wade James Stuurman


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Masixole Banda • Vusumzi Dyantjies • Siyanda Grey • Kalvano King • Benjamin Koeberg • Gladman Lulama Mdzoyi • Corné Nortjé • Curtis Isaac Sias • Zwelakhe Sodladla • Yondela Stampu • Carl Roux van Niekerk • Reynier van Rooyen • Morné van Staden


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Blake Arthur Atherton • Riaan Bayman • Rynier Bernardo • Morne Steven Blignault • Enrico Heinrich Booysen • Bejamin Howard-Edward Brukman • Philippus Frederick Du Piesanie • Wessel Christian Ebersohn • Johan Schoeman Engelbrecht • Nathan Fick • Ashwen Prakash Lalla-Kooverjee • Dylan Oliver Love • Christiaan Conrad Rademan • Leon Smith • James Dan Symington • Warren Hudson van der Riet • Bron-Lee Viviers • Jean-Claude Wagener


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Andrew Gower • Frederick Nicolaas Johannes Kalp • Pieter Lubbe • Hannes Ludik • Mduduzi Angellicus Madondo • Franco Marais • Willem Peterus Meyer • Sihle Mtwa • Bruce Muller • Arno Nel • Coenie Nolte • Johannes Petrus Roodt • Barend Steyn • Bertus van der Merwe • Anton van Deventer • Boris van Jaarsveld • Johan Gerhardus van Niekerk


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Pieter Hendrik Coetzee • Ruaan Coetzee • Neill Michael Erasmus • Felix Gondo • Marno Kotzee • Jurgens Lambrechts • Dillon Laubscher • Thabo Given Mokhema • Paseka Moloi • André Nel • Michael Nienaber • Charl Nieuwenhuis • Johannes Radebe • Marius Armand Robbertse • Roland Syphus • Gerhard Venter • Tesner Junayn Williams


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Donavan Ball • Charles Leonard Barnard • Wesley Leonard Botes • Wernich Botha • Herbert Burger • Gavin du Plessis • Boetie Groenewald • Gerhard Klopper • Frank Mateus • Heinrich Roelfse • Jacques Francois Steyn • Dewald Trytsman • Chris van der Linde • Dalton van Loggorenberg • Daniel Viljoen • Arno Visagie


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Darren Colby • Rupert Cronjé • Egan Gysman • Grant Janke • Leon Johannes Kruger • Johan Matthysen • Ossie Nortjé • Jan Petrus Oosthuizen • Hendrik Christiaan Prinsloo • Virgil Russel • Nhlanqamiso Sibanda • Divandré Strydom • Christiano Divan Swarts • Tiaan van Wyk • Jacques Wilson • Juan-Leonard Wilson


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Julio Mauricio da Silva • Dean Kouprianoff • Riaan Liang


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Gerard Baard • Hendrik Beets • Byron Booysen • Rudi Britz • Roderick Dalton • Leon Kilian • John Nel Lintvelt • Lwandile Garry Makibi • Shaun McGeer • Adriaan Micheal Opperman • Marinus Pretorius • Johannes Bernadus Raubenheimer • Friedle Lindley September • George Tzorvas • Anthone Christian Verhoog • Antonie Theo Vosloo • Gillaume Jacobus Wolvaardt • Tiaan Moranville Young


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Irlon Joran April • Shaun Albert Blignaut • Rozario Ferenzo Fourie • Kyle Mervyn Hans • Nathen-niel Cresendo Jafta • Vince Reiner MinnaarDucasonn Hates Olyn • Kevin Plaatjies • Sarel Leon Pretorius • Lundi Ralarala • David Jacobus Strauss • Etienne Luwayne Swarts • Hendrik Jacobus van der Merwe • Schalk Willem van der Merwe • Russell van Wyk


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Johannes Jacobus Bekker • Juan Daniel de Bruin • Byron Andrew Koenze • Ntsikelelo Blessing Mabusela • Henry Lourens Rossouw • André Jacobus van der Walt


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
John-Henry Carstens • Henco Dickason • Ruan Grobler • Joel Hlatywayo • Terence Long • Mzwandile Prescott Mahlangu • Ewald Maré • Ricardo Wane Menezes • Willie Muller • Jean-Di Oosthuysen • Neels Pienaar • Quentin Posthumus • Gerhardus Christiaan Pretorius • Reinard Pretorius • Brendan Rams • Phillip Range • Zane Bert Sloane • Harry van Eck • Raymond van Niekerk • Kewan Voysey


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Wayne Dreyer • Roelf Fritz • Felix Godlo • Neil Jansen van Rensburg • Anrich Kruger • Devan Kruger • Theunis Kruger • Jaco Parsons • Franco Pearson • Dewald Pieters • Lambertus Nicolaas Potgieter • Morné Smit • Pieter Strydom • Johann Tromp • André van der Walt • Adriaan Isak Vosloo


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Siphesihle Yondela Barnabas • John-Wessel Bell • Etiene Bouwer • Johann Hendrik De Bruin • Paul Petrus du Plessis • Joost Heystek • Neoi Jeffrey Maliehe • Leon Lee Oosthuizen • Johannes Bernadus Raubenheimer • Keith Ross Trytsman • Heinrich van Noordwyk • Arthur William Williams


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Marshel Abrahams • Denzil Garth April • Zander Bekker • Luvan Cass • Eurecian Mark Daniels • Layle Delo • Gavin James Delport • Theunis Dercksen • Christo du Plessis • Stephanus Johannes Engelbrecht • Daniël Elardus Erasmus • Etienne Janse van Rensburg • Francois Kemp • Bradley Earl Ruiters • Ryno Scheepers • Marius van Dorp • Johannes Hendrik van Wyk • Arden-Lee Wesso


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Phaezzle Bremmond August • Raynor Becker • Anton Beswick • Henn-Lin Jacobus Botha • Charlie Ewerts • Merlin Geswindt • Jannie Deon Geyer • Jason Horne • Reginald Emmanuel Kleinbooi • Vogan Lourens • Rudi Michaels • Cedrick Ryneveldt • Emile Temperman • Enrico Treurnicht • Divan van Zyl


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Squad lists
Jaco Fourie • Enzo Demain Matthews • Sinclair Ibrahim McClean • Daniel Cornelius Roberts • Jacobus Schroder • Charwin Shane van Wyk •


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Players, Discipline
The following table contains all the cards handed out during the tournament:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Referees
The following referees officiated matches in the 2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B:


2010 Under-21 Provincial Championship Group B, Referees
Luke Burger • Ben Crouse • Pieter de Villiers • Francois Groenewald • Quinton Immelman • Lusanda Jam • Tiaan Jonker • Matt Kemp • Mlungiseleli Mdashe • Dilbert November • Rasta Rasivhenge • Archie Sehlako • Francois Veldsman


2010 UniCredit Czech Open
The 2010 UniCredit Czech Open was a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor red clay courts. It was part of the 2010 ATP Challenger Tour. It took place in Prostějov, Czech Republic between 31 May and 5 June 2010.


2010 UniCredit Czech Open, ATP entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2010 UniCredit Czech Open, Champions, Doubles
Marcel Granollers /  David Marrero def. Johan Brunström /  Jean-Julien Rojer, 3–6, 6–4, [10–6]


2010 UniCredit Czech Open – Doubles
Johan Brunström and Jean-Julien Rojer were the defending champions, but Marcel Granollers and David Marrero defeated them 3–6, 6–4, [10–6] in the final.


2010 UniCredit Czech Open – Singles
Jan Hájek was the defending champion, and he defended his title, because Radek Štěpánek retired in the final.


2010 Union budget of India
The Union budget of India for 2010–11 was presented by Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha on Friday, February 26, 2010.


2010 United Bowl
The 2010 United Bowl was the second title game of the Indoor Football League (IFL). It was played on July 17, 2010, at the Billings Sports Plex in Billings, Montana. The top seed in the Intense Conference (Billings Outlaws) defeated the United Conference's two-seed team, Sioux Falls Storm, by a score of 43–34.


2010 United Bowl, Road to the United Bowl, Playoffs
z=clinched top seed in conference, x=clinched division, y=clinched wild card spot


2010 United Football League
The 2010 United Football League (known as the LBC United Football League for sponsorship reasons) was the first season of the United Football League. After the success of UFL Cup, the clubs that would comprise the Division 1 and Division 2 was set. The season began on 24 January 2010.


2010 United Football League
The Philippine Air Force won the first season league title in the Division 1.


2010 United Football League
Global was successfully promoted to 2011 United Football League (Philippines) Division 1 after topping the second division with an unbeaten record.


2010 United Kingdom general election
The 2010 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday 6 May 2010, with 45,597,461 registered voters entitled to vote to elect members to the House of Commons. The election took place in 650 constituencies across the United Kingdom under the first-past-the-post system.


2010 United Kingdom general election
The election resulted in a large swing to the Conservative Party similar to that seen in 1979, the last time a Conservative opposition had ousted a Labour government. The Labour Party lost the 66-seat majority it had previously enjoyed, but no party achieved the 326 seats needed for a majority. The Conservatives, led by David Cameron, won the most votes and seats, but still fell 20 seats short. This resulted in a hung parliament where no party was able to command a majority in the House of Commons. This was only the second general election since the Second World War to return a hung parliament, the first being the February 1974 election.


2010 United Kingdom general election
For the leaders of all three major political parties, this was their first general election contest as party leader. Prime minister Gordon Brown had taken office in June 2007 following the end of Tony Blair's 10-year reign as prime minister and 13 years as leader of the Labour Party, while David Cameron had succeeded Michael Howard in December 2005 and Nick Clegg had succeeded Menzies Campbell (who never contested a general election) in December 2007.


2010 United Kingdom general election
However, a hung parliament had been largely anticipated by the opinion polls in the run-up to the election, so politicians and voters were better prepared for the constitutional process that would follow such a result. The coalition government that was subsequently formed was the first to result directly from a UK election.


2010 United Kingdom general election
The hung parliament came about in spite of the Conservatives managing both a higher vote total and a higher share of the vote than the previous Labour government had done in 2005, when it had secured a comfortable majority (although vastly reduced from its landslide victories at the previous two elections). A total of 149 sitting MPs stood down at the election, the highest since 1945, including many former New Labour Cabinet ministers such as former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, Alan Milburn, Geoff Hoon, Ruth Kelly, James Purnell and John Reid. One reason for the very high number of MPs standing down was the parliamentary expenses scandal a year earlier.


2010 United Kingdom general election
Coalition talks began immediately between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, and lasted for five days. There was an aborted attempt to put together a Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition (although 11 seats from other smaller parties would have been required). To facilitate this, Gordon Brown announced on the evening of Monday 10 May that he would resign as Leader of the Labour Party. Realising that a deal between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats was imminent, Brown resigned the next day, on Tuesday 11 May, as Prime Minister, marking the end of 13 years of Labour government. This was accepted by Queen Elizabeth II, who then invited David Cameron to form a government in her name and become Prime Minister. Just after midnight on 12 May, the Liberal Democrats approved the agreement "overwhelmingly", sealing a coalition government of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.


2010 United Kingdom general election
None of the three main party leaders had previously led a general election campaign, a situation which had not occurred since the 1979 election. During the campaign, the three main party leaders engaged in the first televised debates. The Liberal Democrats achieved a breakthrough in opinion polls after the first debate, in which their leader Nick Clegg was widely seen as the strongest performer. Nonetheless, on polling day their share of the vote increased by only 1%, with a net loss of five seats.


2010 United Kingdom general election
This was still the Liberal Democrats' largest popular vote since the party's creation in 1988, and they found themselves in a pivotal role in the formation of the new government. The share of votes for parties other than Labour or the Conservatives was 35%, the largest since the 1918 general election. In terms of votes it was the most "three-cornered" election since 1923, and in terms of seats since 1929. The Green Party of England and Wales won its first ever seat in the House of Commons, and the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland also gained its first elected member. The general election saw a 5.1% national swing from Labour to the Conservatives, the third-largest since 1945. The result in one constituency, Oldham East and Saddleworth, was subsequently declared void on petition because of illegal practices during the campaign, the first such instance since 1910.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background
The prime minister, Gordon Brown, went to Buckingham Palace on 6 April and asked the Queen to dissolve Parliament on 12 April, confirming in a live press conference in Downing Street, as had long been speculated, that the election would be held on 6 May, five years since the previous election on 5 May 2005. The election took place on 6 May in 649 constituencies across the United Kingdom, under the first-past-the-post system, for seats in the House of Commons. Voting in the Thirsk and Malton constituency was postponed for three weeks because of the death of a candidate.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background
The governing Labour Party campaigned to secure a fourth consecutive term in office, and to restore support lost since 2001. The Conservative Party sought to gain a dominant position in British politics after losses in the 1990s, and to replace Labour as the governing party. The Liberal Democrats hoped to make gains from both sides and hoped to hold the balance of power in a hung parliament. Since the televised debates between the three leaders, their poll ratings had risen to the point where many considered the possibility of a Liberal Democrat role in Government.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background
Polls just before election day saw a slight swing from the Liberal Democrats back to Labour and Conservatives, with the majority of final polls falling within one point of Conservatives 36%, Labour 29%, Liberal Democrats 23%. However, record numbers of undecided voters raised uncertainty about the outcome. The Scottish National Party, encouraged by their victory in the 2007 Scottish parliament elections, set itself a target of 20 MPs and was hoping to find itself holding a balance of power. Equally, Plaid Cymru sought gains in Wales.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background
Smaller parties which had had successes at local elections and the 2009 European elections (UK Independence Party, Green Party, British National Party) looked to extend their representation to seats in the House of Commons. The Democratic Unionist Party looked to maintain, if not extend, its number of seats, having been the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background, MPs declining re-election
This election had an unusually high number of MPs choosing not to seek re-election, with more standing down than did so at the 1945 general election (which on account of the extraordinary wartime circumstances came ten years after the preceding election). This has been attributed to the 2009 expenses scandal and the fact there was talk that redundancy-style payments for departing MPs might be scrapped after the election.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background, MPs declining re-election
In all, 149 MPs (100 Labour, 35 Conservatives, 7 Liberal Democrats, 2 Independents, 1 Independent Conservative and 1 member each from the SNP, Plaid Cymru, the DUP, and the SDLP) decided not to contest the election. Additionally, three seats were vacant at the time of the dissolution of Parliament; two due to the deaths of Labour MPs and one due to the resignation in January 2010 of a DUP member.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background, Boundary changes
Each of the four national boundary commissions is required by the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (as amended by the Boundary Commissions Act 1992) to conduct a general review of all the constituencies in its part of the United Kingdom every eight to twelve years to ensure the size and composition of constituencies are as fair as possible.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background, Boundary changes
Based on the Rallings and Thrasher studies using ward by ward data from local elections and the 2005 general election, the new boundaries used in 2010 would have returned nine fewer Labour MPs had they been in place at the previous election; given that there are to be four more seats in the next parliament this nationally reduces Labour's majority from 66 to 48.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background, Boundary changes
Pursuant to Boundary Commission for England recommendations, the number of seats in England increased by four, and numerous changes were made to the existing constituency boundaries.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background, Boundary changes
Northern Ireland continued to elect 18 MPs, but minor changes were made to the eastern constituencies in accordance with the Northern Ireland Boundary Commission's recommendations. For the first time, these changes include the splitting of an electoral ward between two constituencies.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background, Boundary changes
Following the recommendations of the Boundary Commission for Wales, the total number of seats remained at 40, although new seats caused by radical redrawing of boundaries in Clwyd and Gwynedd were fought for the first time: Arfon and Dwyfor Meirionnydd replaced Caernarfon and Meirionnydd Nant Conwy, respectively; Aberconwy replaced Conwy. At the time of the election Welsh constituencies had electorates on average around 14,000 smaller than their counterparts in England.


2010 United Kingdom general election, Background, Boundary changes
Scotland saw its most recent large-scale review completed in 2004, so its 59 constituencies remained the same as at the 2005 general election.