Camilla Jessen
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes he would win if elections were held today.
Zelensky is confident that if presidential elections were held today, he would win the vote due to his high popularity among Ukrainians.
He shared his views in an interview with Fox News, stating, “Now I have the most support in society. Therefore, if we hold elections now, people will choose me. Needless to say, I am trying to stay in power.”
He clarified that delaying elections during wartime, whether they be presidential, parliamentary, or local, is in accordance with the law.
“I did not cancel the elections. The law says that elections cannot be held during martial law. This is not some law passed under me. It was there from the very beginning,” he pointed out.
A KMIS survey on February 20, 2024, showed that 69% of Ukrainians want Zelensky to stay as president until martial law ends, but 10% think he should leave office in May 2024.
If that happens, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada would take over until a new president is chosen.
Zelensky has talked about how hard it is to have elections during a war, mentioning problems like voting for soldiers, keeping observers safe, and making sure people living abroad or in occupied areas can vote.
On October 4, Zelensky stated that the current situation complicates holding elections, but if the Verkhovna Rada amends the laws to ensure voter safety, elections could proceed.
However, by November, he remarked that elections were “not on time,” and the Central Election Commission reported no preparations for presidential elections in March 2024.