As Ukraine’s presidential campaign is warming up, the motto “Either Poroshenko or Putin” is heard quite often. Some people support this call, being afraid of Yulia Tymoshenko, Volodymyr Zelenskyi or other populists who, in particular, do not have a clear policy on relations with Russia. Others criticize such a narrowing of the choice, pointing at so-called new democratic (post-Maidan) powers which could build an alternative to both populist candidates and the somewhat-criticized Poroshenko. The new model of horizontal democratic politics of these alternative parties is both their strength and weakness. It is unclear whether these parties will manage to unite and choose a single candidate for the upcoming presidential elections, as well as participate jointly in parliamentary elections next autumn.
2019 Presidential Election
OP-ED
Bohdan Ben: Do alternative new political forces have a chance in Ukraine?
Samopomich Party lawmaker Yegor Sobolev talks with protesters near the Presidential Administration in Kyiv oon Oct. 19, 2017.
