RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS AS A FACTOR IN ESTABLISHING AND DEVELOPING PUBLIC POLICY IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article examines the influence of religious institutions and organizations on the process of establishing and developing public policy in Ukraine amid the ongoing democratization of social relations. It argues that religious institutions, as important structural elements of civil society, serve as a significant factor in the development and consolidation of public policy. They currently possess real opportunities to directly (to varying degrees) influence the activities of state structures, political parties, and politicians with the goal of addressing not only religious issues but also the pressing needs of citizens.It is emphasized that religious institutions, as actors within the system of public policy functioning in the country, have a positive impact on communication processes when coordinating and balancing state interests with community needs – both from the side of state structures and civil associations. They also contribute to the implementation of new approaches and methods in these processes.The article demonstrates that as public policy continues to evolve, the tendencies of the «politicization» of religion and the «religionization» of politics deepen, reflecting the active involvement of religious factors in the political activities of state institutions, political parties, and individual politicians.