Ukraine PM resigns amid parliamentary turmoil

Ukraine's prime minister has announced his resignation in protest of the disbanding of the ruling coalition in parliament following the withdrawal of several pro-European parties.

"I announce my resignation in connection with the dissolution of the parliamentary coalition and the blocking of government initiatives," Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Thursday, after several parties withdrew from the majority European Choice coalition in anticipation of early parliamentary polls.

Earlier on Thursday, Oleksandr Turchynov, the speaker, announced the formal dissolution of the ruling coalition, giving President Petro Poroshenko the right over the next month to announce fresh elections.

The announcement was triggered by the withdrawal of several parties — including the pro-European Udar party of former boxing champion Vitali Klitschko and the Fatherland group of ex–Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

It also comes after weeks of frustration for the prime minister over what is perceived to be parliament's inability to make amendments on a new budget.

Early parliamentary elections in Ukraine have been expected since the February removal of the Kremlin-backed President Viktor Yanukovych following months of deadly protests.

The country was previously due to hold a vote in 2017.

Poroshenko — who was elected in May after constitutional changes handed more powers to parliament — said the deputies were recognizing a groundswell of popular opinion that a new set of politicians should be chosen.

"All public opinion polls, as well as direct contact with people, shows that the public wants a complete overhaul of those in power," Poroshenko said in a statement.

He pledged, though, that the possibility of upcoming elections would not paralyze the work of parliament at a time when Kiev is struggling to end a bloody separatist insurrection tearing apart the east of the country.

Ukraine also disbanded the country's Communist Party on Thursday, at the request of the government.

Al Jazeera and wire services