Abstract

The article examines the principles of elit­creation at the regional level in accordance with the objectives and priorities of the national political science and the specificity of the domestic political process. Identified tendencies of the structure formation of regional elites from both formal and informal institutions advocacy and aggregation of local communities. The aim of the paper is to establish features of the formation and functioning of regional political elites in contemporary Ukraine in the context of political and social­economic transformation. By means of structural­functional analysis determined that the functioning of regional political elites of contemporary Ukraine as integral units, based on non­public bonds, which are not generally associated with political influence or connection to the social and political forces. Mechanisms of regional political elites functioning in modern Ukraine are closely linked to the progress of administrative and territorial division. These tendencies are conceptual discussion about decentralization, and suggestions for increasing regions after administrative reform. However, the basic trend of the regional elites functioning in modern Ukraine have a device as the primary way of interacting with center. Attention of regional political elites to transformation models of political­administrative system of Ukraine is low. Regional political elites in modern Ukraine have a number of features of its formation and functioning. The structure of political elites at the regional level conditioned by the economic structure and the influence of business groups. In addition, these groups are not in a relationship of free competition or struggle for spheres of influence, and are in a hierarchical relationship of subordination. The social composition of Ukrainian regional political elites is in the making and is linked to all of the nomenclature and administrative staff of the Regional management of the former USSR. However, after events of 2014 occurs a change of age generations and changing of professional and gender composition of elites. These factors represent regional political elite of Ukraine as a phenomenon that requires deep analysis and attracting new empirical data. Functioning of the regional political elites in Ukraine is based on the existence of local and regional political regimes that reflect the current socio­economic region­specific, as well as their priority and importance to the central level. Political and administrative structure of regional political elites substantially corrected by businesses and public organizations. The basic requirement for the operation of regional political elites from the center is handling the overall political situation and socio­economic development. In these circumstances, the regional political elites grouped around a figurehead, mostly governor or head of the regional council. Interaction with the center and ensure loyalty among regional and local elites on the ruling party and the incumbent president formed a special approach to the operation of regional elites who are in pursuit of self­sufficiency. Loyalty to the center allows to protect their position against a possible removal from the levers of political influence. Social, age and gender structure of the regional political elites provides insight on the relative relevance of these indicators of basic social indicators society. However, democratic principles to ensure gender parity and social mobility through democratic procedures are still in the formative stage. Functioning of the regional political elites, as integral formations, based on non­public bonds, which are generally not related to political influence, or due to social and political forces. Improvement of these practices is the foundation of modernization of current regional political elites in Ukraine. Regional political elite in Ukraine is constantly under pressure of the all­ukrainian political process­level. This complicates the transformation of regional and local elites to real decision makers for the organization of the relevant areas development. A significant problem for domestic regional elites, in the author’s opinion, is the leaching of personnel recruiting local and regional leaders to fill positions at the capital level.