(NationRise.com) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently suggested that the country would unlikely hold new presidential elections anytime soon. He explained that holding an electoral event in the middle of the war with Russia could be divisive for Ukrainians and bring “unexpected” consequences that could even debilitate the country’s armed forces.
During a press conference in Kyiv, the Ukrainian leader told reporters that the Ukrainian people are currently living in a “time of battle” that will decide the future of the nation as a whole. Zelensky also said, “Now is not the time for elections,” as he explained it would be a distraction from the Russian invasion.
The Ukrainian leader was democratically elected in 2019 to serve a five-year term, in accordance with Ukraine’s Constitution. Suspending a presidential election while Ukraine remains under martial law will extend his presidential period beyond the constitutional term.
Different reports pointed out that while the international community would support Zelensky’s decision not to hold a presidential election, his leadership in Ukraine could be undermined. While he maintains a high popularity among Ukrainians, he could lose support if the war continues and he refuses to leave power.
On November 4, the Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement that the president was “weighing” whether or not to hold elections in 2025. He explained that polling would be “almost impossible” because of the number of Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the front and the large number of Ukrainians who escaped from the country after the invasion.
Legislative elections, which would have taken place in October, were suspended by the Ukrainian government because of the armed conflict. Former Zelensky aide and opposition leader Oleksiy Arestovych said that canceling these elections was a “grave mistake.” He also said he would formally challenge the Ukrainian president for his seat if he decides to hold presidential elections next year.
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