Deutsche Welle (22 April 2019)
Volodymyr Zelenskiy made light work of incumbent Petro Poroshenko in the presidential polls. Ukrainians have voted for a fresh start, but that also comes with the risk of failure and disappointment, writes Bernd Johann.
Up on stage, the comedian has a relatively easy job. As a charmer and provocateur, he captivates people. His most important promise to the audience is to provide good entertainment. His success is guaranteed; the promise swiftly fulfilled. When the audience laughs and cheers, the comedian has won.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy already plays the role of president of Ukraine in a TV series. But now he's actually been elected president. The actor and comedian defeated incumbent Petro Poroshenko by a landslide in Sunday's election runoff. He left him no chance in what was an extremely polarized and personality-driven campaign. Zelenskiy repeatedly refused to take part in a genuine public debate. The 41-year-old's political views were vague. But up on stage and on social media, Zelenskiy pulled out all the stops. And above all, he used the election campaign to level broad criticism at the Poroshenko system.
Widespread discontent with Poroshenko
His election victory shows that change is possible if large sections of the population are unhappy with the current policy. After five years under Poroshenko, Ukraine is still one of the poorest countries in Europe. Foreign investments are few and far between, the judiciary isn't independent, corruption and nepotism are alive and well. Most recently, Poroshenko himself has been viewed with growing suspicion after several corruption scandals shook his inner circle.
And then there's the conflict with Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. There aren't any immediate prospects for a political solution in sight — not even for progress on the humanitarian front, for people on the frontlines or for political prisoners. Poroshenko, as commander in chief, has implemented reforms in the army. But he's also morphed into a hardliner and a nationalist who has no more political doors open to him when it comes to Crimea and the Donbass question.
Ukrainians want fresh faces
All of these problems now confront Zelenskiy, who, during the election campaign, made no secret of the fact that he has no political experience. He won't be able to solve these problems with wit, charm, or funny YouTube videos. It's quite possible that he and his supporters might soon have little to laugh about — because the promised fresh start will be difficult and comes with the risk of failure.
Ukrainians want new faces in politics. Zelenskiy only has a small team working for him. And it will only be clear after parliamentary elections scheduled for October who will govern Ukraine in the future. By then it'll also be evident which political forces Zelenskiy will align with, and the news may well bring disappointment for a section of those who voted for him.
Questions for the new president
Volodymyr Zelenskiy will have to take care that such alliances do not take the momentum out of the wave of optimism that led to his election. He has already been accused of having close personal and business ties to the controversial self-exiled Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi. And then there's the question of how Zelenskiy the entrepreneur will keep up with his own show business and media company holdings when he becomes president. Ukrainians are still waiting for answers from their future president. Now he must finally explain, and demonstrate through actions, what he will do as president to improve the country.
Europe, the United States and Canada, which all support Ukraine's path of reform, are also keenly watching on to see how things progress. They want to see an orderly handover of power, and also the winners and losers alike respect the outcome of the election. Ukrainians have now used democratic means to trigger a political restart for a second time, following the Maidan protests in 2013. And they should be congratulated for that.
No comments yet.
- UKIP LEADER FIGHTS BACK AGAINST FARAGE’S ‘ONE MAN’ BREXIT PARTY AT EU POLL LAUNCH Europe - EU 22.04.2019
- ARMENIA: FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION KNOCKS ON PM’S DOOR The Caucasus and Turkish-Armenian Relations 22.04.2019
- MEPS APPROVE THE CREATION OF THE EUROPEAN LABOUR AUTHORITY Europe - EU 22.04.2019
- TURKEY, AZERBAIJAN, TURKMENISTAN TO MULL COOPERATION IN ENERGY SECTOR The Caucasus and Turkish-Armenian Relations 22.04.2019
- EC EXPECTS ALBANIA TO IMPROVE LABOUR MARKET, PURSUE ACTIVE EMPLOYMENT POLICIES The Balkans 22.04.2019
-
Türk-Ermeni İlişkileri Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2023 -
Türk-Ermeni İlişkileri Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2022 -
RADİKAL ERMENİ UNSURLARCA GERÇEKLEŞTİRİLEN MEZALİMLER VE VANDALİZM -
PATRIOTISM PERVERTED -
MEN ARE LIKE THAT -
BAKÜ-TİFLİS-CEYHAN BORU HATTININ YAŞANAN TARİHİ -
INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS ON THE EVENTS OF 1915 -
FAKE PHOTOS AND THE ARMENIAN PROPAGANDA -
ERMENİ PROPAGANDASI VE SAHTE RESİMLER -
Türk-Ermeni İlişkileri Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2021 -
A Letter From Japan - Strategically Mum: The Silence of the Armenians -
Japonya'dan Bir Mektup - Stratejik Suskunluk: Ermenilerin Sessizliği -
Türk-Ermeni Uyuşmazlığı Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2020 -
Anastas Mikoyan: Confessions of an Armenian Bolshevik -
Sovyet Sonrası Ukrayna’da Devlet, Toplum ve Siyaset - Değişen Dinamikler, Dönüşen Kimlikler -
Türk-Ermeni Uyuşmazlığı Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2019 -
Türk-Ermeni Uyuşmazlığı Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2018 -
Ermeni Sorunuyla İlgili İngiliz Belgeleri (1912-1923) - British Documents on Armenian Question (1912-1923) -
Turkish-Russian Academics: A Historical Study on the Caucasus -
Gürcistan'daki Müslüman Topluluklar: Azınlık Hakları, Kimlik, Siyaset -
Armenian Diaspora: Diaspora, State and the Imagination of the Republic of Armenia -
Ermeni Sorunu Temel Bilgi ve Belgeler (2. Baskı)
-
CONFERENCE TITLED “HUNGARY’S PERSPECTIVES ON THE TURKIC WORLD"