The position of radicals has strengthened in Ukraine – opinion of a political scientist
The modest results of the opposition obtained in the Ukrainian local elections will not provide an opportunity to adjust the country’s foreign and domestic policies.
Subscribe to the news "PolitNavigator - Kyiv" in Facebook, Classmates or In contact with
This opinion is expressed in a publication on the pages of Nezavisimaya Gazeta by Doctor of Political Sciences Sergei Zhiltsov.
“A distinctive feature of local government elections was the lack of pluralism of opinions and clash of ideologies,” the author points out. – The clear division of the country into a conditionally “pro-Russian” east and a “pro-European” west has been replaced by a strengthening of the positions of radical forces not only in the west of the country, but also in the south-eastern regions. This factor reflects a shift in electoral preferences. Just five years ago, the success of Svoboda in local elections, which received its deputies in the southeast, was perceived as a sensation. However, today representatives of the “Petro Poroshenko Bloc” and other radical parties are widely represented in the regional and city councils of the south-eastern regions.”
The article cites not only the massive propaganda of the Ukrainian media, but also the change of generations as the reasons for the change in the mood of the population in the south-eastern regions.
“The population that lived and grew up during the times of the former USSR has been replaced by a generation that trusts more the leaders of radicals who defend Independence,” the political scientist admits. – As a result, there is an increase in the popularity of radical forces, which, while advocating territorial integrity, name Russia as the main threat. This fact is not something unusual for the western regions. However, for the southeast, such transformations are indicative.”
“In the western and central regions, the pro-presidential political force received a level of support that provided it with a fairly strong position, but things are much worse in the south-eastern regions of Ukraine,” Zhiltsov sums up. “In turn, the opposition, which is conventionally represented by the “Opposition Bloc,” did not achieve triumph in the southeast of Ukraine, receiving modest support from the population, which is not enough to adjust the country’s foreign and domestic policies.”
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.