Six leaders of Ukrainian parliamentary elections: who are they?

21 July elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. A chance to overcome the five percent barrier is in six parties. BBC Russian Service briefly tells who these people are.

Фото: Depositphotos

Half of the 450 deputies of the Ukrainian parliament are elected in single-member constituencies - in fact, elections will be held in 199 constituencies, voting will not take place in Russian-annexed Crimea and in the territory of Donbass not controlled by Kiev. Another 225 deputies will be elected from party lists.

If it is not easy to predict the election results in single-member districts, in the party part of the campaign, the social research allows to determine among the 22 parties participating in the elections those six who have a chance to overcome the five-percent electoral barrier and form factions in the next convocation of the Verkhovna Rada.

On the subject: Profile: Vladimir Zelensky - actor, showman, presidential candidate of Ukraine

The BBC tells you what you need to know about the top 6 election participants: their stories, leaders, programs, and current ratings.

"Servant of the people"

Leader: Dmitry Razumkov

How much can get: 42-52% votes

Party in three sentences:

The formal leader of the party is Dmitry Razumkov, but no one hides the fact that Servant of the People is the party of Vladimir Zelensky. The president himself is prohibited by the Constitution from leading the party, named after the series in which Zelensky played the president of Ukraine. Servant of the People says that the ideology of this party is libertarianism, and real participation of the people in government can be ensured, for example, by buying each rural grandmother a smartphone.

Campaign in three sentences:

“Servant of the People” is expected to show very strong results in the wake of Vladimir Zelensky’s triumphant success in the recent presidential elections, but the main intrigue is whether the party will be able to form a one-party majority in the future Rada. The style of the “Servant of the People” campaign is designed in the green tones of the campaign of presidential candidate Zelensky. Among the candidates for deputy from the Servant of the People there is not a single current or former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada.

Top Five:

Dmitry Razumkov is a political consultant, the main public face of Zelensky’s team.

Ruslan Stefanchuk is a lawyer with a KVN background, calls himself an ideologist of the Servant of the People.

Irina Venediktova is a lawyer, responsible for judicial reform in Zelensky’s team.

David Arakhamia is an IT entrepreneur, head of the volunteer council at the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Galina Yanchenko is a deputy of the Kyiv City Council, a public anti-corruption activist.

The program in 50 words:

“Ukraine needs fundamental changes, but the system of corruption, lies and lawlessness is not able to change. We will implement the course of President Zelensky and turn Ukraine into a free, independent, successful Dream Country. We will abolish the immunity of deputies, we will reward citizens for identifying corrupt officials, we will launch a full-fledged jury trial, we will regulate the right to own weapons, and we will make the legalization of capital possible.”

Campaign slogan: "Let's make them again!"

"Opposition platform - For life"

Leader: Yuriy Boyko

How much can get: 10-15% votes

Party in three sentences:

The Opposition Platform - For Life party was formed after the split of the Opposition Bloc, created on the ruins of Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of Regions. The main pro-Russian force in Ukrainian politics. He criticizes not only the old and new authorities, but also his former comrades in the “Opposition Bloc”, whom he considers to be not a real opposition.

On the subject: Artists go to the deputies: that the Zelensky and Vakarchuk parties offer voters

Campaign in three sentences:

The style of the campaign is blue and white, memorable to Ukrainian voters since the days of Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of Regions and promises to lower tariffs or restore peace in Ukraine. Party leaders regularly visit Moscow and have demonstrative meetings with Dmitry Medvedev, Alexei Miller, and State Duma deputies. Traditionally, the majority of OPZZ voters live in the southern and eastern regions of Ukraine, but for their sympathy the party has to compete with Vladimir Zelensky’s Servant of the People.

Top Five:

Yuriy Boyko is co-chairman of the OPZZh party, deputy prime minister and minister of fuel and energy under presidents Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yanukovych.

Vadim Rabinovich is the co-chairman of the OPZZh party, a former businessman and the host of the talk show “Who Rabinovich to Whom” and “Five Questions for Vadim Rabinovich.”

Viktor Medvedchuk is the head of the administration of President Leonid Kuchma, godfather of Vladimir Putin.

Natalya Korolevskaya is a member of parliament, former Minister of Labor and Social Policy under President Yanukovych.

Sergei Levochkin is the head of the administration of President Viktor Yanukovych.

The program in 50 words:

“For five years, the authorities have systematically violated the rights of millions of Ukrainian citizens. OPZZH will stop the policy of discrimination, xenophobia and radicalism. Let's introduce a moratorium on creating problems that split the country. Referendums will force politicians to work in the interests of the people. We will stop hostilities, return to citizens the right to communicate in Russian, lower tariffs, and raise wages. Ukraine will become a parliamentary republic and a neutral state.”

Campaign slogan: "United for Peace."

"European solidarity"

Leader: Petro Poroshenko

How much can get: about 8% of votes

Party in three sentences:

Before the parliamentary elections, the former president’s party rebranded - it was previously called the “Petro Poroshenko Bloc.” In addition, they announced a large-scale personnel update - the list of “European Solidarity” does not include the most odious representatives of Petro Poroshenko’s entourage. The party describes its ideology as a fusion of liberalism and conservatism and declares its determination to defend the gains of Petro Poroshenko's presidency.

Campaign in three sentences:

The headquarters of European Solidarity says that they are vying for the votes of a quarter of pro-Western Ukrainian voters who voted for Petro Poroshenko in the second round of the presidential election, but in reality several political forces are fighting for this segment of the electorate - first of all, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk’s “Voice”. Poroshenko’s party harshly criticizes the policies of Vladimir Zelensky, openly declaring his unpreparedness to lead the state. Due to the low level of popularity of Petro Poroshenko and the desire to highlight the renewal of his team, the faces of other members of his team can often be seen on European Solidarity billboards.

Top Five:

Petro Poroshenko is the former president of Ukraine.

Andriy Parubiy is the speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Irina Gerashchenko is the first vice-speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, a former negotiator on the release of prisoners of war.

Mikhail Zabrodsky is an army general, commander of the air assault forces of Ukraine.

Sofia Fedina is a Lviv social activist, teacher at Lviv University.

The program in 50 words:

“President Poroshenko managed the impossible: our team stopped the seizure and collapse of Ukraine, and its revival began. This movement is not irreversible, we are going to parliament to protect the European future of Ukraine. The future of Ukraine is in the EU and NATO. We will fight corruption, create jobs, increase pensions and promote fashion in Ukraine, opening it to the world.”

Campaign slogan: “Let's protect the European future of Ukraine!”

"Batkivshchyna"

Leader: Yulia Tymoshenko

How much can get: 6-8% votes

Party in three sentences:

A veteran party of Ukrainian politics: “Batkivshchyna” was founded in 1999, and its constant leader is Yulia Tymoshenko. Over the past twenty years, she has defended both liberal and social democratic values. It has one of the most developed networks of regional organizations in the country.

Campaign in three sentences:

The main engine of the campaign is Tymoshenko herself, who appears in her party’s campaign videos without her usual braid and in snow-white clothes. Batkivshchyna advocates the creation of a “new professional government” after the elections, clearly hinting that the party leader could lead it. However, Tymoshenko promises to help the authorities even if Batkivshchyna is not accepted into the coalition.

Top Five:

Yulia Tymoshenko, the permanent leader of Batkivshchyna, twice Prime Minister of Ukraine.

Sergey Taruta, former oligarch, former governor of Donetsk region.

Valentine Nalyvaychenko, former head of the Security Service of Ukraine.

Sergei Sobolev, Yulia Tymoshenko’s deputy in Batkivshchyna.

Elena Kondratyuk, a PR specialist, is one of Tymoshenko’s closest associates.

The program in 50 words:

“A large team of experts developed the New Deal, a program for the rapid revival of the country. Our future is in the EU, our security is in NATO. The path to peace will begin with Russia releasing all political prisoners. In five years, the average salary in Ukraine will be equal to the Polish one. We will reduce the price of gas and utility tariffs by half.”

Campaign slogan: “We need to act!”

"Vote"

Leader: Svyatoslav Vakarchuk

How much can take: 4-9% votes

Party in three sentences:

The Golos party was created by rocker Svyatoslav Vakarchuk after the presidential elections, in which he was expected to take part personally. The leader of Golos himself denies that his party is a leader, calls its ideology “human-centrism” and advocates European integration of Ukraine. The party's weaknesses are the late start of the campaign and the almost complete absence of regional structures.

Campaign in three sentences:

At every meeting with voters, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk talks about the need for fundamental changes in politics and politicians in Ukraine, and on this basis, he is already ready to find grounds for joint actions with Vladimir Zelensky and his “Servant of the People.” However, in matters of foreign policy, Golos is more unambiguous than the president’s team: they advocate the Western vector of Ukraine’s integration - this can explain the popularity of this party in the western and central regions of the country. The “trick” of the “Voices” campaign is free large concerts of Vakarchuk and his “Ocean Elzy” in regional centers of the country immediately after communication with voters.

On the subject: Poroshenko's trap: why the current president of Ukraine lost

Top Five:

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk is a popular singer, leader of the Okean Elzy group.

Yulia Klymenko is a former Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Ukraine.

Kira Rudik is the head of the IT company Ring Ukraine, which was acquired by Amazon last year for $1 billion.

Yaroslav Zheleznyak is a professional lobbyist, worked in the government and in the commercial sector as a communications specialist with the Verkhovna Rada.

Alexandra Ustinova is an anti-corruption activist who specializes in abuses in the healthcare sector.

The program in 50 words:

“We want to establish real justice in Ukraine; corruption will mean prison. We will become richer, but we have no illusions; the oligarchs will not give up without a fight. Cultural traditions will appear in Ukraine that will cement the nation. We will ensure the inevitability of victory in the war for Ukraine’s right to self-determination, bring closer the return of Crimea, and a course towards NATO and the EU.”

Campaign slogan: “If we change the Rada, we will change Ukraine.”

"Strength and honor"

Leader: Igor Smeshko

How much can get: 4-5% votes

Party in three sentences:

Until recently, the little-known party of the former head of the Security Service of Ukraine Igor Smeshko, who in the last presidential elections showed an unexpectedly high result of 6% of the vote. Most of the passable part of the “Strength and Honor” list are non-party members; here you can also find a lot of security officials and military personnel. The party describes its ideology as follows: “we are conscious conservative democrats.”

Campaign in three sentences:

The “Strength and Honor” campaign rests on Igor Smeshko, who exploits the image of an honest, incorruptible, competent security officer who stands above political strife and is able to guarantee security for every citizen of Ukraine. The head of the campaign headquarters and the main agitator for it is one of the most famous Ukrainian journalists, Dmitry Gordon. “Strength and Honor” placed the least amount of outdoor and television advertising of all the favorite parties in the campaign.

Top Five:

Igor Smeshko is the former head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense and the Security Service of Ukraine.

Elena Sotnik is a member of the Rada, a lawyer, and a member of the informal association of young politicians “Eurooptimists”.

Refat Chubarov is the head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people (the organization is prohibited on Russian territory).

Ivan Miroshnichenko is a member of parliament, formerly a major businessman and agrarian.

Vladimir Zamana is the former chief of the general staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The program in 50 words:

“The main task of the state is to guarantee the security of every citizen. Let us strengthen the unitary status and unity of the state. It is necessary to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to overcome the poverty of Ukrainians. Ensure rapprochement with NATO. Develop a comprehensive multi-level partnership with the United States and formulate a new concept of relations with Russia. GOD, FREEDOM, FAMILY and UKRAINE are the highest spiritual values ​​of the Ukrainian people.”

Campaign slogan: “We are going to win!”

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Artists go to the deputies: that the Zelensky and Vakarchuk parties offer voters

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