When Wolodymyr Selensky enters the stage, he waves cheerfully into the cameras. In the background is the song "I love my country", the song from his series "Sluga Naroda" ("servant of the people"). There he plays decent President Holoborodko, who is fighting in Ukraine against the oligarchs and corruption. It all seems too good to be true - and it's about to become reality. That is what Selensky promised.
"Seven, six, five", the actor counts down a bit too early on the stage in a sports bar in Kiev. He has to start a second time: "Three, two, one". The first forecast appears on the screen. The beam for Selensky skyrockets: 73.2 percent approval. Incumbent Petro Poroshenko is far behind with 25.3 percent. A historic victory. Selensky cheers, hugs his wife, hugs the members of his team, flying confetti.
For Selensky, this forecast is a triumph. He is a newcomer to politics, apart from his jokes about the leadership of the country. Unlike Poroshenko, who won the first ballot five years ago with 54.7 percent, the TV producer Selensky was never politically active before he announced his candidacy.
"I hope not to disappoint the hopes," says Selensky in his short speech.
The Ukrainians have given him an enormous vote of confidence in their vote - and now they want the big change in their country.
The 41-year-old Selensky, who comes from a Russian-speaking Jewish family in the industrial city of Krywyj Rih in southern Ukraine, made a name for himself as an actor and comedian. Now he has to show if he can lead the country and whether he will succeed in this role change from comedian to politician.
Political plan still in progress
In the election campaign, which he led almost exclusively on social media, he set the tone from the beginning. It was a show. It was the idea of a simple man who came to break the crusted power system of his country. However, he avoided any political debate and debate, instead, every day to promise a better Ukraine again. But when he finally met Poroshenko in the stadium, both of them just cursed each other. A political debate looks different.
This also shows how emotionally the past few months have gone by, in which especially Selensky had to experience how he and his family were vilified, as he was labeled as allegedly drug addict. These injuries are deep, which becomes clear in discussions with his advisers such as campaign leader Ivan Bakanov, a longtime friend.
So far, at best, general points of Selensky's political agenda are known. He promises to bring Ukraine closer to the EU and NATO, to end the war in eastern Ukraine, to fight corruption and the oligarchs, to improve the standard of living of the people - measured by the gross national product, Ukraine is the poorest country in Europe. When asked how he wants to implement all this, he refers to his experts. But according to Bakanov, they are still in the process of creating the program for a better Ukraine.
Poroshenko punished
In Kiev, intellectuals like the writer Oksana Sabuschko, as well as former Maidan activists and members of the NGO scene warned against troubled times. After all, Ukraine is at war. In Donbass, the fighters supported by Moscow still shoot after five years. Just in Kiev were shouting just before the ballot, one should give Poroshenko still a chance. After all, he is a political professional, know what he's doing.
His deselection is equivalent to a punishment. It is the expression of a deep weariness. The Ukrainians, who took part in a democratic election, which is anything but usual for post-Soviet states, showed by ballot how tired they are of politicians who only see their own interests and cliques.
Although Poroshenko has achieved a lot for his country, such as reforms in army, schools and health, he is seen as part of this old system of power. This is mainly due to the fact that the 53-year-old, founder of the confectionery company "Roschen", in the eyes of many people never properly combated corruption, but in case of doubt, rather for the interests of his friends and people.
Poroshenko was dejected on Sunday night. He announced that he would accept voters' decision to support his successor in the weeks leading up to the transfer of office - a conciliatory sign, but he also said: "I am leaving office, but staying in politics."
Politically influenced dishes
Selensky will meet with great resistance if he should implement the promised radical reforms. Thus, the courts in Ukraine are still considered politically controlled, no top official has yet been convicted of corruption, although the anti-corruption authority Nabu against several determined.
Finally, the sixth court in Kyiv headlines because it just before the ballot, the decision to privatize the private bank of the oligarch Ihor Kolomojsky, described as unjust. This was seen by observers as a disruptive action to Selensky's campaign, which claims to maintain only business relationships with Kolomojsky through its production company "Kwartal 95". However, the question is how far these relationships reach and what the oligarch still expects of them.
Kolomojsky, one of the richest men of Ukraine and Poroshenko's opponent, strongly supported Selensky in this election. His channel "Kanal 1 plus 1" showed live how the actor celebrated his success on Sunday. In addition, the staff of Selensky used security personnel and vehicles of the oligarch, who now lives in Israel. One of the Kolomojsky lawyers is constantly appearing with Selensky, so he stood with him on stage at the TV duel.
By June inauguration
So far, this does not seem to bother the future president. Selensky has always been more and more defiant when asked about the oligarch. But they will continue to be asked - as well as questions about his program for Ukraine.
What Selensky wants to do in the first 100 days, he was asked in February by a diplomat. So far he has not answered the answer. Until the inauguration Selensky stay only a few weeks. According to the Constitution, he must be sworn in until June 3.