Believe it or not, I agree with you on your last paragraph. And that is why it is silly to call for elections. Among many other reasons, either Zelensky will win or someone even more hawkish.Sam Lowry said:Some of them have a parliamentary group, but without a party infrastructure or any of their former resources they've been neutered and intimidated into "keeping a low profile," as the Ukrainian media demurely put it.sombear said:No, most of the members of the pro-Russian parties that were banned are back in parliament and/or politically active. The members were not banned, just the parties.Sam Lowry said:As if there were any real opposition parties in parliament. They were disbanded and their assets seized long ago. A few members may still occupy seats, but that have no organized leadership. Zelensky's biggest political rival is Poroshenko, a Western ally whom he's now accusing of treason.sombear said:Dictator!!!Redbrickbear said:ron.reagan said:
"So in fact dictators often don't hold elections"
literally my point lmao.. It is not up to him big brains
Yes it is
He can hold elections anytime he wants by suspending the presidential decree of martial law
[imposition of martial law has meant that polls have been indefinitely suspended. Since the war began in February 2022, martial law has been imposed and extended (for 90 days at a time) 14 times thus far]
He does hold elections because he does not want to do so….and the DC (before Trump) and Brussels were not forcing him to do so.
This is why the Ukrainian parliament's opposition leaders signed a joint statement that both parliamentary and presidential elections should take place after the cessation of the war and the conclusion of martial law. The document indicates a consensus among major political parties regarding the need for an appropriate period of time to prepare for elections and favorable conditions for campaigning and voting.
What Do Voters Think?
For the general population, holding elections under current conditions would be problematic. For example, in a November survey conducted by Kyiv's International Institute of Sociology, over 80 percent of respondents expressed a preference for deferring elections until the war had ended.
No also on opposition. There are 3 candidates widely expected to eventually run, including the general Zelensky fired, and all 3 have come publicly against holding elections. Not a single elected official has called for an election, even though 80% or more in safe seats.
I think citing Zaluzhny as a significant opposition figure really highlights my point. If anything he's even more anti-Russian than Zelensky. What's left of Ukrainian politics is basically a contest between the far right and the ultra-far right.