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Ukraine divided, presidential run-off imminent
Published: 18 January, 2010, 15:00
Edited: 03 February, 2010, 15:28
A Ukrainian woman leaves a booth in a polling station during presidential elections in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010.
(2.6Mb) embed videoTAGS: Election, Ukraine, Politics, Yushchenko, Law
Ukraine has finished counting votes in its presidential election, and it is already clear that the widely predicted run-off will take place.
The figures put opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich on top with 35.32% of the vote. He is followed by Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko with 25.05%.
Incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko, the leader of the 2004 Orange Revolution, managed to secure just over 5%.
The run-off between the two leading candidates is scheduled for February 7.
On Sunday evening Yulia Timoshenko called on democratic forces to support her in the second round.
However, two presidential candidates, Sergey Tigipko and Arseny Yatsenyuk, who came in third and fourth place respectively, said they would support neither her not Yanukovich.
According to Adrian Pabst, a professor in politics at the University of Kent, the West expects Timoshenko to overcome the 10% deficit and win. Personally, however, Pabst is not sure. “I think it’s going to be a very close election, and I wouldn’t bet on any of the candidates,” he says.
Political analyst Taras Berezovets believes the main political conflict remains the same – that of a Ukraine that chooses a European path and a Ukraine that supports Russia.
And journalist Dmitry Babich says the poor results achieved by the incumbent president are a sign of the failure of his Russophobic policy.
Course of the election
There were 18 candidates taking part in the election. It was the country's first presidential vote since unprecedented street protests thrust Viktor Yushchenko, into office five years ago.
The 2004 Orange Revolution was sparked by what some claimed was a flawed election. This time around, to avoid any vote rigging, the authorities have printed special ballot papers with watermarks on them for the first time in the country’s history.
On election day international observers seemed satisfied.
“A real election is when on polling day you do not know who will win,” Matyas Eoersi, head of the European observation team, told RT.
“Election is a difficult thing because you have only one winner and everybody else is a loser,” explained the observer. “We expect all the losers to accept the election results.”
Political gatherings in the center of Kiev have been banned in order to avoid a repeat of the exceptional mass demonstrations which took place during the country’s 2004 presidential elections.
The streets of the capital have remained calm. The opposition Party of Regions was, however, worried about possible attempts to disrupt the country’s vote, as three planes from Georgia carrying over 400 men between the ages of 25 and 40 landed in Ukraine on Friday and Saturday, leaving security services trying to figure out why they came to Kiev. Georgia says they came as observers but the Ukrainian election commission has refused to certify them.
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I am English,I have lived in Yalta for the past 6 years, I have seen many changes good and bad, I am a photo journalist, and have over the years comunicated with many of the people I have met, and they mainly say the same thing. No to NATO, Inflation, better Health Ect!! I, looking from the outside share these views, after all Crimea is Russian, and needs to preserve its heretage and the Russian fleet in Sevestopol, We do not want NATO here. Stephen.
Seems like a total repudiation of Yuschenko, it looks like that Yanukovych has this thing in the bag, even allowing for the 3% vote fraud/theft---if those ballots were somehow invalidated---- that Ms. Tymoshenko is alleging. I guess we will see on Feb. 7th, whoever wins, I hope that they can get things turned around over there and make some progress. The Ukrainian people need it and deserve it.
I agree that people of Ukraine need and deserve a change. They deserve better. With such a wonerfull, fertile land, Ukraine can be the bread basket of Europe, and feel a lots of poor people of this world as well. It has a fantastic geographic position, making it ideal for trade transit, both from the Central Asia and Far East. It is ideally suited for energy transport as well, and the developement of many industries --- as it already has the tradition of industrialization. But I also see the dangers, and I hope this time I am wrong. Ukraine also boasts some of the world's most naive population. There is something good about being naive. But we do not live in the era of innocence. This is the world of wolfs, and the innocent pay the price. Look at the patterns of voting. There are so many small parties that cannot win the election. It is utter foolishness giving them votes, so that these individuals can then cash in on "their" consituents. They will vie for the jobs in the new administration, with the promises of delivering votes. Even if they say that they will not endorse, everybody an their mamma already knows which way will they be pulling. So, if people of Ukraine really wanted to make a solid change, they need to elect those who will bring a big broom, to sweep the current system out. They need to elect those who have NOT been in power, otherwise they will get the same in new clothing. Only a strong party with a chance to win on their own accord can then afford to open the windows, and let the air into the corridors of corrupt power. At present only Yanukovich fits that bill. Yulia has only redefined herself to suit the times, but will not bring the change. She cannot afford to. She is committed to the existing elite that support her, and she will do nothing to endanger them. Ukraine should vote Yanukovic even if they have to pinch their nose to do it. This is the only way to get out of the swamp.