Experts: Yuschenko to quit politics after elections
Ukraine's new president will face an acute political crisis, experts maintain. Victor Yanukovich gathered 35 percent of votes in the first round of Ukraine's presidential elections. His main rival -- Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko -- is the second with slightly over 24 percent. Siarhei Tsigipko, an independent candidate, finished the third with 13 percent.
Ukrainian experts say it was the lowest turnout, with only 68 percent of voters showing up at polling stations. In 2004, 75 percent of voters turned out. Presidential candidates had simply nothing to offer the nation that is tired of permenent political games, thinks Iryna Bikeshkina from the Ukraine-based Foundation for Democratic Initiatives that carried out exit-polls.
Iryna Bikeshkina: “The electoral campaign was mainly virtual. Images and spin-doctors were competing with each other. But people could not hear any serious political programs that could explain to voters what the candidates were going to in the future. Therefore, many people dodged the poll”.
The presidential seat will be taken by the candidate who will be able to mobilize more voters in the run-off on February 7. The votes of the candidates that did not make it to the second round will also play a big role. It means that Yulia Tymoshenko's chances will grow significantly at the cost of those who supported Arseniy Yatsenyuk or Victor Yushchenko. Likewise, it is too early to talk about Victor Yanukovich's victory.
The only clear thing is that president Victor Yushchenko was defeated, having gathered only 5.5 percent. Now, he is most likely to struggle for a seat in the parliament, reckons Igor Zhdanov, director of the Kiev-based Open Politics think tank.
Igor Zhdanov: “His main task during this election was to prepare for the parliamentary elections, i.e. to mobilize the nationalist and pro-democracy electorate. If there are snap elections (that's very likely), we will see Yushchenko-led Our Ukraine that will make it to the parliament”.
But, there is a possibility that Victor Yushchenko will depart from the political scene. Being an emotional person, he might not endure this defeat, some experts suggest.
In general, this year's presidential elections are hardly to stabilize the situation in Ukraine, notes Andrei Yermalayev, director of the Ukranian Center for Social Studies.
Andrei Yrmalayev: “In every case, the presidential elections will not put a full stop in the political situation in Ukraine. I would not rule out that the political tensions might escalate after the poll. The loser will not take it very easy”.
As for the relations with Belarus, they will not be affected by the resultsa of the presidential elections. The main favorites declared a policy of neighborhood and partnership with our cpuntry. For instance, Victor Yanukovich made numerous statements that Ukraine could join the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan. The government of Yulia Tymoshenko has already engaged in an efficient cooperation with our country.
Photo: podrobnosti.ua
Ukrainian experts say it was the lowest turnout, with only 68 percent of voters showing up at polling stations. In 2004, 75 percent of voters turned out. Presidential candidates had simply nothing to offer the nation that is tired of permenent political games, thinks Iryna Bikeshkina from the Ukraine-based Foundation for Democratic Initiatives that carried out exit-polls.
Iryna Bikeshkina: “The electoral campaign was mainly virtual. Images and spin-doctors were competing with each other. But people could not hear any serious political programs that could explain to voters what the candidates were going to in the future. Therefore, many people dodged the poll”.
The presidential seat will be taken by the candidate who will be able to mobilize more voters in the run-off on February 7. The votes of the candidates that did not make it to the second round will also play a big role. It means that Yulia Tymoshenko's chances will grow significantly at the cost of those who supported Arseniy Yatsenyuk or Victor Yushchenko. Likewise, it is too early to talk about Victor Yanukovich's victory.
The only clear thing is that president Victor Yushchenko was defeated, having gathered only 5.5 percent. Now, he is most likely to struggle for a seat in the parliament, reckons Igor Zhdanov, director of the Kiev-based Open Politics think tank.
Igor Zhdanov: “His main task during this election was to prepare for the parliamentary elections, i.e. to mobilize the nationalist and pro-democracy electorate. If there are snap elections (that's very likely), we will see Yushchenko-led Our Ukraine that will make it to the parliament”.
But, there is a possibility that Victor Yushchenko will depart from the political scene. Being an emotional person, he might not endure this defeat, some experts suggest.
In general, this year's presidential elections are hardly to stabilize the situation in Ukraine, notes Andrei Yermalayev, director of the Ukranian Center for Social Studies.
Andrei Yrmalayev: “In every case, the presidential elections will not put a full stop in the political situation in Ukraine. I would not rule out that the political tensions might escalate after the poll. The loser will not take it very easy”.
As for the relations with Belarus, they will not be affected by the resultsa of the presidential elections. The main favorites declared a policy of neighborhood and partnership with our cpuntry. For instance, Victor Yanukovich made numerous statements that Ukraine could join the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan. The government of Yulia Tymoshenko has already engaged in an efficient cooperation with our country.
Photo: podrobnosti.ua
