KIEV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s political party claimed on Monday to have received an absolute majority in parliament following weekend elections.
Zelensky’s party, Servant of the People, named after the hit television show that propelled him to the nation’s highest political office, held a dominating proportion of about 40 per cent of the party list votes.
Adding to that the number of directly elected candidates, Zelensky’s party appears to have gained a majority of more than 240 of the 424 seats to be filled in parliament.
The party expected 125 to 127 directly elected candidates and 121 or 122 party list candidates, campaign manager Oleksandr Korniyenko said in comments carried by state media.
Zelensky called the snap election shortly after his inauguration two months ago as he faced a parliament stacked in favour of the previous leadership. A career actor and comedian famous for playing a fictional president in the hit TV show, Zelensky has presented himself as an alternative to a political establishment that has long struggled with entrenched corruption.
“These elections represent a comprehensive rejuvenation of Ukraine’s political system,” as Zelensky’s party does not include previously active politicians, Eurasian political expert Diyar Autal told dpa. “This is a chance for Ukraine to finally break free from the dominance of its oligarchs who have often frustrated the reform agenda,” said Autal, an associate of Harvard University’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies. — dpa
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