No laughing matter as comic set to win Ukraine
Print Edition
Voters in Ukraine went to the polls yesterday in a presidential election after a campaign that produced a comedian with no political experience as the front-runner, and allegations of voter bribery.
Opinion polls have shown Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who stars in a TV sitcom about a teacher who becomes president after a video of him denouncing corruption goes viral, leading a field of 39 candidates. The polls also had Zelenskiy outpacing incumbent President Petro Poroshenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, the other top candidates, by a broad margin.
鈥淶elenskiy has shown us on the screen what a real president should be like,鈥 voter Tatiana Zinchenko, 30, who cast her ballot for the comedian, said. 鈥淗e showed what the state leader should aspire for 鈥 fight corruption by deeds, not words, help the poor, control the oligarchs.鈥
If no candidate secures an absolute majority of yesterday鈥檚 vote, a runoff between the top two will be held on April 21.
Concern about the election鈥檚 legitimacy spiked in recent days after the interior minister said his department was 鈥渟howered鈥 with hundreds of claims that supporters of Poroshenko and Tymoshenko offered money in exchange for votes.
Like the popular character he plays, Zelenskiy, 41, made corruption a focus of his candidacy. He proposed a lifetime ban on public office for anyone convicted of graft. He also called for direct negotiations with Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine. 鈥淎 new life, a normal life is starting,鈥 Zelenskiy said after casting his ballot in Kiev. 鈥淎 life without corruption, without bribes.鈥
His lack of political experience helped his popularity with voters amid broad disillusionment with the current generation of politicians.
鈥淭here is no trust in old politicians. They were at the helm, and the situation in the country has only got worse,鈥 said businessman Valery Ostrozhsky, 66, another Zelenskiy voter.
Poroshenko, 53, who was a confectionery tycoon when he was elected five years ago saw approval of his rule sink amid Ukraine鈥檚 economic woes and a sharp plunge in living standards.
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