Spring 2025 Presidential elections not possible
Several informed representatives of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada told NV there are multiple reasons why a national election likely won’t be held in spring 2025, with two influential sources in the Servant of the People faction also denying that presidential elections could happen on May 25, according to The Economist on Nov. 13.
Two influential sources in Ukraine’s ruling Servant of the People party have denied the possibility of holding presidential elections on May 25, 2025, as suggested by The Economist. “Science fiction column,” one source quipped about the British report. According to one source, even if martial law isn’t extended in February, organizing elections would take at least six months, pushing the date to August 2025 at the earliest. The same source noted that holding the elections alongside scheduled local elections in October would save significant costs.
Another source close to the president’s office agreed that organizing elections would take at least half a year and dismissed the idea of spring elections, saying no preparations are underway as a cease-fire is unlikely. Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the parliamentary foreign policy committee, speculated that The Economist might be basing its predictions on Donald Trump’s pledge to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia, allowing the lifting of martial law and thus elections. However, Merezhko doubts such a scenario, given that Russian President Vladimir Putin still aims to destroy Ukraine.
Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, an MP from the Holos faction and chair of the Committee on Freedom of Speech, also dismissed the idea of spring elections, citing a lack of legal and security guarantees and the risks to election commissions, which could be targeted by Russia. He added that without a cease-fire, it’s unlikely such security guarantees would emerge by May. Yurchyshyn also pointed out that how displaced citizens abroad and soldiers at the front would vote remains unresolved. He emphasized that even if a truce is reached, there’s no guarantee Russia wouldn’t restart hostilities.
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