“You will laugh, but Goloborodko won the elections!” - from overheard dialogues on Privoz.
On Palm Sunday, Ukraine hosted the second round of presidential elections. The current president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, predictably lost to the hero of the popular TV series and the party of the same name, “The Servant of the People”. Vladimir Zelensky, the leading man, won over 70% of the votes of Ukrainian voters.
The pan-European trend to populism and the fictional politician has worked here. True, the Ukrainians went further and chose a movie hero right away. Previously, a similar image was pulled on a real person. Like, for example, the popular billionaire became president in the United States, and the former minister of economics in France. What now becomes with the large state next to us?
If you look at the past presidential campaign from the outside, you can see with the naked eye how superficially technologically advanced, without delving into real problems, practically like-minded people went into the second round. One, however, with a baggage of record antirating, Donbass blood on his hands and the result of a five-year half-life period of the Ukrainian state.
The other, as already noted, campaigned as a new season of the popular TV series in the reality show. On the main issues of concern to many, such as the war in the Donbass, the status of the Russian Crimea, the state of the economy and relations with Russia, both candidates had no particular disagreements yesterday. That was recorded on the eve of Holy Catholic Friday at the Kiev stadium in the so-called show debates.
One of the first elected Ukrainian president, even before the final vote count, American President Donald Trump congratulated by phone, assuring that “the United States will continue to increase efforts in maintaining the course,” and immediately thanked Poroshenko for his work. Then there were calls from Macron, Andrzej Duda, NATO Secretary General and even the President of the European Council. Everyone hurried to congratulate the captain of "Quarter 95" on the victory in the final of the Ukrainian KVN League.
It is noteworthy that Poroshenko lost the second round in a good mood. He admitted defeat even before the counting of votes, promised to help his successor in the transfer of power and the introduction of the nuances of the situation. Obviously, the agreements that Petr Alekseevich experienced so much over the last three weeks came about. Albeit not in the way he saw them himself, keeping the presidential chair behind him, but still with guarantees not only of personal security, but also with the continuation of a political career. What did not fail to inform the public right there.
Most likely, a real struggle for influence and control over a rather large Ukrainian space will unfold in the autumn parliamentary elections. Ukraine is a parliamentary-presidential republic, and the role of the parliamentary majority is decisive.
Of course, Poroshenko through the controlled Rada last year strengthened his presidential powers. But as added, and trimmed. In this sense, Zelensky is actively advised to dissolve the Rada by the first presidential decree on the day of inauguration and urgently announce early parliamentary elections, not allowing the electorate to recover. After all, before the regular elections of the Rada deputies, there is still 100 days of loneliness Goloborodko, and, of course, in practice, this time is enough for disappointment. Life is not a movie.
Unfortunately, in this scenario, regardless of the plot lines of the second plan, there are no changes in relations with Moscow. Ukraine continues to position itself as an "anti-Russia". The Donbass republics remain a gray buffer zone, and the Crimea is not recognized as at least a sovereign territory, which accepted its legitimate choice to return to Russia five years ago. Obviously, Washington is having a decisive influence on the screenwriter. And until the main issues in the Russian-American relations are resolved, there is also hardly anything that will change.
In such a mode, it’s even convenient to keep the role of president as a professional artist. In the Ukrainian version, this is a kavenshchik, which is quite in the spirit of “festival democracy”. Cheerful and resourceful Zelensky quite a fun and easy can unleash a new war in the south-east. Or ingeniously join Transdniestria to Ukraine, which until 1940 was part of the Ukrainian SSR. Moreover, in the neighboring Moldova there is a protracted post-election crisis - and they are not in the mood for the Transnistrian issue.
It also seems important what the Ukrainian oligarchs want from the new president. What they get from the old is approximately understandable. It is likely that, having resolved issues within the oligarchic political bureau, the Ukrainian oligarchy will be interested in maintaining the current semi-frozen situation. Preserving the status quo will allow you to continue to suck the life out of the Ukrainian space, having previously corrected the distortions within the oligarchic relations.
As for Zelensky's appeal to the countries of the post-Soviet space: they say, look at us - everything is possible, this is clearly a political statement, such a line for the sponsor. It seems that the idea that it is possible for 28 years to spend the Soviet inheritance and live from hand to mouth for Western credit is not a novelty for most countries of this post-Soviet space.
In general, Ukraine again distinguished itself. Hypanula, as expressed by the modern youth. What this hyip will turn out for Ukrainian citizens and for the fate of the Ukrainian national state, we will see in the very near future.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.