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In Ukraine, A Swift Descent Into Disorder
31 March 2019
As the polls close in Ukraine, the governing National Liberal Party has been dealt a major blow with the surge of the Patriotic Remembrance Party and surprisingly strong performances from the Democratic Party and the National Union Party. The presidential election was held concurrently with elections for the Parliament, known as the Verkhovna Rada.
In the Rada, the defection of numerous Liberal deputies to the newly formed Remembrance Party over the last three years has crippled the Liberal Party's power. In today's elections, the Liberal Party came in fourth, the party's worst performance since its founding, and is projected to lost 150 seats. Due to the actions of President Valentin Sobolevsky, the party's image as one of reform and progress has been replaced by one of authoritarian brutality. The party has almost entirely been superseded by Remembrance.
These trends are also obvious in the presidential election, where former Justice Minister Nastia Konanov, daughter of the late president, has come in first. Konanov has received approximately 39% of the vote, which will precipitate a runoff in April. The second candidate in the runoff will be incumbent President Sobolevsky or Democratic candidate Radmila Rudenko. Both candidates have drawn 15-18% each. Other candidates have divided the remainder of the vote, the majority of which has gone to eccentric Unionist candidate Vitaly Symonenko, a former major in the military police (VSP) and television personality.
The election process has been marred by violence and election monitors have already cited hundreds of irregularities. Protesters of the Remembrance Rebellion have been harshly attacked by President Sobolevsky, who has used military force to suppress the movement. On Saturday, the Central Election Commission spontaneously announced the closing of voting stations across the country, but mostly in the western region, where Sobolevsky is least popular. Additionally, soldiers were stationed around those that remained open to ensure "fairness in the election process." Both Konanov and Rudenko has accused the president of suppressing the vote in order to ensure his own survival. On Election Day, many people were arrested on their way to vote, being held without charge. Noticeably, similar events were not reported in the eastern part of the country, where Sobolevsky draws most of his support from the Russian-speaking population.
Protesting has continued through the day and night in Kiev, in violation of the curfew, prompting the use of force by the military. The government buildings remain surrounded even as the military has begun using tear gas. The current concern is that Sobolevsky will manipulate the results to include himself in the second round and win the election. He may also suspend the second round by declaring a national emergency. Polls show him losing to Konanov 65-20, with 15% undecided.
Rada numbers
qualified for runoff
In Ukraine, A Swift Descent Into Disorder
31 March 2019
As the polls close in Ukraine, the governing National Liberal Party has been dealt a major blow with the surge of the Patriotic Remembrance Party and surprisingly strong performances from the Democratic Party and the National Union Party. The presidential election was held concurrently with elections for the Parliament, known as the Verkhovna Rada.
In the Rada, the defection of numerous Liberal deputies to the newly formed Remembrance Party over the last three years has crippled the Liberal Party's power. In today's elections, the Liberal Party came in fourth, the party's worst performance since its founding, and is projected to lost 150 seats. Due to the actions of President Valentin Sobolevsky, the party's image as one of reform and progress has been replaced by one of authoritarian brutality. The party has almost entirely been superseded by Remembrance.
These trends are also obvious in the presidential election, where former Justice Minister Nastia Konanov, daughter of the late president, has come in first. Konanov has received approximately 39% of the vote, which will precipitate a runoff in April. The second candidate in the runoff will be incumbent President Sobolevsky or Democratic candidate Radmila Rudenko. Both candidates have drawn 15-18% each. Other candidates have divided the remainder of the vote, the majority of which has gone to eccentric Unionist candidate Vitaly Symonenko, a former major in the military police (VSP) and television personality.
The election process has been marred by violence and election monitors have already cited hundreds of irregularities. Protesters of the Remembrance Rebellion have been harshly attacked by President Sobolevsky, who has used military force to suppress the movement. On Saturday, the Central Election Commission spontaneously announced the closing of voting stations across the country, but mostly in the western region, where Sobolevsky is least popular. Additionally, soldiers were stationed around those that remained open to ensure "fairness in the election process." Both Konanov and Rudenko has accused the president of suppressing the vote in order to ensure his own survival. On Election Day, many people were arrested on their way to vote, being held without charge. Noticeably, similar events were not reported in the eastern part of the country, where Sobolevsky draws most of his support from the Russian-speaking population.
Protesting has continued through the day and night in Kiev, in violation of the curfew, prompting the use of force by the military. The government buildings remain surrounded even as the military has begun using tear gas. The current concern is that Sobolevsky will manipulate the results to include himself in the second round and win the election. He may also suspend the second round by declaring a national emergency. Polls show him losing to Konanov 65-20, with 15% undecided.
Rada numbers
- Patriotic Remembrance Party (liberal, pro-Europe, reform) - 229 (+121)
- Democratic National Party (conservative, pro-Europe) - 94 (+28)
- National Union Party (nationalist, conservative, pro-Russia) - 63 (+3)
- National Liberal Party (liberal, pro-Russia) - 16 (-150)
- Popular Party (nationalist, far-right, xenophobic) - 10 (0)
- Workers Union (democratic socialist, pro-Europe) - 8 (-6)
- others/undecided - 4
- Nastia Konanov (Remembrance) - 39%
- Valentin Sobolevsky* (Liberal) - 18%
- Radmila Rudenko (Democratic) - 18%
- Vitaly Symonenko (Unionist) - 10%
- Ihor Romanov (Popular) - 6%
- Oleg Shevchuk (independent) 5%
- minor candidates - 4%
qualified for runoff
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