KIEV, Ukraine – Tens of thousands of opposition supporters, many of them haggard and shivering after 17 days of round-the-clock street protests, chanted and danced in triumph after Parliament approved reforms yesterday to ensure a fair ballot in Ukraine’s repeat presidential election.

The surprise vote in Parliament was part of a compromise package that also included constitutional amendments to transfer some presidential powers to Parliament – but only after parliamentary elections in 2006, when backers of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko hope to win a majority.

Mr. Yushchenko had earlier denounced the amendments as an attempt to render his likely election victory meaningless, but he appeared to have ended up strengthening his political standing by demonstrating an ability to find common ground with his opponents and solve a crisis that could easily have turned violent.

“During these 17 days we have gotten a new country,” Mr. Yushchenko told the roaring crowds on Kiev’s main Independence Square. “We have realized that we are a European nation. We have grown confident that Ukraine’s future can’t be stolen.” Mr. Yushchenko supporters, who have besieged Parliament and other official buildings in downtown Kiev for two weeks, broke into chants of “Well done! Well done!” But many vowed to keep up their blockades.

“We won’t lift the blockade until Yushchenko settles here,” said Mykola Motruk, who has led a blockade of the presidential administration building with some 50 other people. As he spoke, his men sang songs and danced in a circle, raising fingers in a V-sign.

Mr. Yushchenko said the peaceful protests, dubbed the “Orange Revolution” for his campaign color, had achieved their main goals: The Supreme Court canceled the fraud tainted victory of his Kremlin-backed opponent in the November 21 presidential runoff and Parliament passed reforms to ensure a fair vote.

“We have done all that without spilling a single drop of blood,” Mr. Yushchenko said. “Our conscience is clear.” Mr. Yushchenko urged supporters to focus on campaigning for his December 26 rematch against Prime Minister Yanukovich, asking them to join local election commissions and become ballot monitors.

At the same time, Mr. Yushchenko did not call on his supporters to withdraw their pickets around government buildings – as other opposition leaders had predicted. He said a sprawling tent camp on Kiev’s main square and its central avenue will be reorganized – but not disbanded. Mr. Yushchenko emerged from the 17-day political crisis a winner, succeeding in pressing home his demand for a rerun without having his supporters resort to violence.

But outgoing President Kuchma can also claim victory, by succeeding in cutting the powers of his successor.