{"id":609465,"date":"2019-04-22T09:46:28","date_gmt":"2019-04-22T09:46:28","guid":{"rendered":"
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Ukrainian co"},"modified":"2019-04-22T09:46:28","modified_gmt":"2019-04-22T09:46:28","slug":"comedian-wins-ukrainian-presidency-starr-fm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2019\/04\/22\/comedian-wins-ukrainian-presidency-starr-fm\/","title":{"rendered":"Comedian wins Ukrainian Presidency | Starr Fm"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelensky has scored a landslide victory in the country\u2019s presidential election.<\/p>\n

With nearly all ballots counted in the run-off vote, Mr Zelensky had taken more than 73% with incumbent Petro Poroshenko trailing far behind on 24%.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will never let you down,\u201d Mr Zelensky told celebrating supporters.<\/p>\n

Russia says it wants him to show \u201csound judgement\u201d, \u201chonesty\u201d and \u201cpragmatism\u201d so that relations can improve. Russia backs separatists in eastern Ukraine.<\/p>\n

The comments came from Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, in a Facebook post on Monday (in Russian).<\/p>\n

He said he expected Mr Zelensky to \u201crepeat familiar ideological formulas\u201d that he used in the election campaign, adding: \u201cI have no illusions on that score.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the same time, there is a chance to improve relations with our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Poroshenko, who admitted defeat after the first exit polls were published, has said he will not be leaving politics.<\/p>\n

He told voters that Mr Zelensky, 41, was too inexperienced to stand up to Russia effectively.<\/p>\n

Mr Zelensky, a political novice, is best known for starring in a satirical television series Servant of the People, in which his character accidentally becomes Ukrainian president.<\/p>\n

He told reporters he would \u201creboot\u201d peace talks with the separatists fighting Ukrainian forces and volunteers in the east.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that we will have personnel changes. In any case we will continue in the direction of the Minsk [peace] talks and head towards concluding a ceasefire,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

There are sporadic skirmishes and the situation also remains tense around Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014.<\/p>\n

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Mr Poroshenko, who has been in power since 2014, said the result of the election \u201cleaves us with uncertainty [and] unpredictability\u201d.<\/p>\n

Billionaire Mr Poroshenko was elected after an uprising overthrew the country\u2019s previous pro-Russian government.<\/p>\n

Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014 after a controversial referendum on self-determination \u2013 a move condemned internationally.<\/p>\n

In a tweet, Mr Poroshenko said \u201ca new inexperienced Ukrainian president\u2026 could be quickly returned to Russia\u2019s orbit of influence\u201d.<\/p>\n

But Russia\u2019s foreign ministry said Ukrainian voters had expressed their desire for political change.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new leadership now must understand and realise the hopes of its electors,\u201d deputy foreign minister Grigory Karasin told the Ria Novosti news agency. \u201cThis of course applies to domestic as well as foreign affairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the reaction been?<\/h2>\n

French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Mr Zelensky in a phone call, as did Poland\u2019s President Andrzej Duda.<\/p>\n

In a tweet, UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: \u201cYou will now truly be the Servant of the People.\u201d<\/p>\n

The US embassy in Ukraine tweeted its congratulations while European Council President Donald Tusk said the EU was \u201cdetermined to continue its support\u201d for Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Who is Volodymyr Zelensky?<\/h2>\n

Mr Zelensky starred in the long-running satirical drama Servant of the People in which his character accidentally becomes Ukraine\u2019s president.<\/p>\n

He plays a teacher who is elected after his expletive-laden rant about corruption goes viral on social media.<\/p>\n

He ran under a political party with the same name as his show.<\/p>\n

With no previous political experience, Mr Zelensky\u2019s campaign focused on his difference to the other candidates rather than on any concrete policy ideas.<\/p>\n

Despite this, he won the first round with more than 30% of the vote \u2013 almost double what Mr Poroshenko got when he finished in second place with 15.95%.<\/p>\n

What do voters think of him?<\/h2>\n

Analysts believe Mr Zelensky\u2019s informal style and vow to clean up Ukrainian politics resonated with voters who are disillusioned with the country\u2019s path under Mr Poroshenko.<\/p>\n

Eschewing traditional campaign tactics, Mr Zelensky channelled his on-screen persona by promising to stamp out corruption and loosen the grip of oligarchs on Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Experts say his supporters, frustrated with establishment politicians and cronyism, have been energised by his charisma and anti-corruption message.<\/p>\n

His critics, meanwhile, are sceptical about his credentials, with many expressing concern over his close links to the billionaire oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky.<\/p>\n

They have expressed doubts that he will be able to take on the country\u2019s influential oligarchs and stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n

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Source: BBC<\/p>\n

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