After cracking down on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church which has been labelled as a genocide by a parliamentarian from Odesa, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and his team have begun laying the groundwork for a summer presidential election in Ukraine in order to “catch rivals off guard.” According to media reports, Zelensky wants to be reelected before the fragmented opposition has a chance to regroup.
Voting on Martial Law
The Economist reported on Sunday that Zelensky “called a meeting last week to task his team with organising a vote after a full ceasefire, which the Americans believe they could impose by late April.”
According to a senior government source, Zelensky intends to move fast to downsize electoral competition by providing potential election rivals little time to prepare and almost “run unopposed.” The source also backed the move by saying, “A long campaign would tear the country apart.”
In an interview last month, Zelenky said, “population is against elections.” He continuously spread the point that holding an election would undermine the country’s defence posture. “If we suspend martial law, we will lose the army,” he said. He sounds naive when he brings up the reasons for not holding elections.
Voting for extending martial law for another 90 days is about to happen in the Ukrainian Parliament because it completes a year on on May 8 and needs to be extended if Zelenky wants to avoid elections.
Most sources cited by The Economist, Zelensky is expected to push for a summer election, with early July being the earliest date that Ukraine’s 60-day minimum campaign rule permits.
Also Read: Is Zelensky complicit in Genocide against his own Citizens?
Crackdowns on Rivals
According to the reports, Zelensky’s “sworn enemy,” former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko, said elections may be held “any time from August to October.”When Zelensky put him under sanctions in February to try to write off his candidacy and deter former commander-in-chief Valeriy Zaluzhny from running against him, Poroshenko said the campaign had already de facto started.
Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of the Ukrainian opposition in exile, was also the subject of Zelensky’s sanctions. Prior to his arrest in April 2022, Medvedchuk was the leader of the Opposition Platform – For Life party, which was the second-largest faction in the Ukrainian parliament. Later, the party was outlawed, and in September 2022, Medvedchuk was sent to Russia as a prisoner.
No Chance of Winning a Fair Election
Putin claimed that Zelensky had “absolutely no chance” of winning a fair election due to his low approval ratings “unless something is grossly rigged.”
Last month, an internal poll showed that Zaluzhny would defeat Zelensky by 30% to 65% because many Ukrainians are “clearly frustrated with their war leader.”
People believe that a fair election would be difficult in Ukraine as it would require dismantling and ending government control over media coverage.
In 2022, while cracking down on alternative narratives perceived as pro-Russia propaganda, Kyiv launched the United News TV telemarathon, a 24-hour unified information broadcast produced by the nation’s leading media institutions.
Citing martial law, Zelensky has not called for a fresh election despite his five-year term having expired in May 2024. This has led to the questioning of his legitimacy as a president. Time and again, Russian President Vladimir Putin has refuted Zelensky’s legitimacy. Putin argues that Zelensky’s status prevents him from signing legally binding documents, which includes a peace deal with Moscow. Even US President Donald Trump has called Zelensky a “dictator without elections.”
One thing though looks clear: Zelensky does not want to go down from his presidential post, nor is he doing much for the Ukrainian population. For that, he is using all those techniques which autocratic leaders do – Cracking down on opposition, controlling media and eliminating or intimidating election rivals or opposition by raids and sanctions. It seems clear that the region will not see peace until the political situation in Ukraine is resolved.
