Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy is all set to seek another term but this time, he won't be contesting under the 'Servant of the People' party under which he was elected the first time, according to reports.
The politicians in Kyiv have already begun preparing for the elections and Zelenskyy himself is gathering his team around him to form a "Zelenskyy bloc", according to Kyiv Post. The report added that even before Zelenskyy officially announced the new party, it had garnered 20 per cent popular support.
One reason why Zelenskyy decided to ditch the old political party is because he feels it has become toxic due to several scandals that erupted post the war.
The new political party will include Zelenskyy's cohorts, who include existing members of the Parliament who have performed well during wartime. Besides them, regional leaders, popular volunteers, bloggers, activists and military personnel will play important roles in the new political party.
Reports hint that Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Mikhailo Fedorov and former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will become the face of the party. Kuleba was replaced recently but continues to be one of the respected faces in Ukrainian politics.
Rumours are rife that Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s highly popular former Commander-in-Chief and current ambassador to the UK, may join the Zelenskyy bloc. Zaluzhny is seen as a potential presidential candidate and was wooed by many parties but the Zelenskyy bloc managed to bring him to their camp after some "behind the scenes" arm twisting.
The Ukrainian Presidential elections were scheduled to be held in March or April 2024 but elections cannot be conducted since martial law has been in effect in the country since February 2022.
Though political analysts share the opinion that Zelenskyy's chances of being re-elected depend on not only the outcome war but also on what is happening on the home front, he is still being viewed by many as the one who could end the war.
Oleksii Antypovych, the head of the Rating Sociological Group, told The New Voice of Ukraine that the latest research shows that Zelenskyy is seen as the primary figure responsible for ending the war. "Currently, more than 60% of respondents trust the president, which is a significant number. However, this figure may change, as it’s not just the war influencing trust. Zelenskyy is also associated with everything happening on the home front. For now, the perception remains that ‘the president is good, but the executive branch, led by the prime minister, is not so much," he added.
