Ukrainians are voting on Oct. 25 in local elections that are considered a test for President Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian who took office last year vowing to bring peace, uproot endemic corruption and shore up a worsening economy.
Associated Press: Ukraine’s local elections test leader and his young party
Representatives of different political forces give out leaflets promoting candidates for the upcoming Oct. 25 local elections in Kyiv on Oct 21, 2020. The upcoming local elections are widely considered as the most important local elections Ukraine has ever held. Because of the ongoing decentralization reform, the politicians chosen on Oct. 25 will have more powers than outgoing regional officials, even though the incumbent mayors in Ukraine’s five largest cities — Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro and Lviv — are expected to be re-elected. Apart from that, these elections may become the first major political defeat for President Volodymyr Zelensky — his Servant of the People party is expected to lose elections in all major cities.
