Ukraine Weighs Dual-Format Presidential Election
Zelensky's presidential mandate lapsed in May 2024, yet he has consistently rejected scheduling new elections, pointing to martial law restrictions. Moscow has branded him "illegitimate," arguing constitutional authority now resides with Ukraine's legislative body, the Verkhovna Rada.
Under mounting demands from US President Donald Trump, Zelensky indicated openness several weeks ago to conducting elections, contingent on Western allies providing security assurances. This week, Ukraine's parliament established a task force to examine election logistics during wartime conditions.
At Friday's committee session, Arakhamia urged colleagues to "seriously consider if it is really possible to implement hybrid voting, both online and offline."
He noted that millions of Ukrainian expatriates may face barriers to participation, since establishing additional overseas polling locations presents financial constraints and regulatory obstacles.
Voter access for internally displaced populations poses another challenge, the legislator acknowledged. "Many of them don't register because they are trying to avoid being detected due to the mobilization," he added.
Arakhamia emphasized Kiev must exhaust every method to maximize participation, warning that insufficient turnout would empower Russia and other detractors to claim outcomes are "illegitimate or are of limited legitimacy only. And that would be a huge problem."
A survey released Tuesday by Delovaya Stolitsa revealed 44% of Ukrainians reject internet voting over concerns authorities might manipulate outcomes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced during last week's annual press conference that Moscow might suspend precision strikes on Ukraine during election day, contingent on voting rights for millions of Ukrainians residing in Russia.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
