Nov 7, 2023 at 6:20 AM Update: an hour ago
President Volodymyr Zelensky believes it is “not the right time” for elections in Ukraine. He believes that the country must be united instead of divided because of the war against Russia. That is why he does not want to organize a presidential election in the spring.
“We must decide that now is the time for defense, for struggle. The fate of the state and the people depends on it,” Zelensky said in his daily video message on Monday evening.
Due to the war with Russia, Ukraine declared martial law in February 2022. This means that there are fewer civil liberties and that the head of state and the military have much more power than otherwise. According to the Ukrainian constitution, elections may not be held.
There is increasing debate at home and abroad about whether Ukraine should hold elections after all. Zelensky previously said he would consider that. Now he seems to be coming back from that. The Ukrainian president considers any form of election irresponsible.
Elections bring ‘unprecedented challenges’
In peacetime, Ukraine would have held parliamentary elections in October. The first round of the presidential election would be in the spring of 2024. Zelensky has been president since May 2019.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said last weekend that presidential elections have “pros and cons.” For example, he said that holding elections during the war with Russia would pose “unprecedented” challenges.
The war could continue for a while, because the Ukrainian summer offensive has not delivered what Kyiv had hoped for. Russia currently occupies almost a fifth of Ukraine.
Beeld: Getty Images
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2023-11-07 05:20:29
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