The most-wanted reform for Ukrainians is the fight against corruption, a new survey showed.
The survey, published on July 3 by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the Razumkov Center, identifies the top fields that Ukrainian want to see changed for the better.
The five most-wanted reforms were anti-corruption reform, healthcare reform, social security system and pension reform, law enforcement reform and lustration of corrupt officials.
Respondents in the poll could choose an unlimited number of reform areas they deem important.
The survey found that over 60 percent of respondents see anti-corruption as the most important area for reform efforts.
However, results vary by region of the country. In Ukraine’s west, respondents care more about anti-corruption and military reform, while, in the east, medical and pension reforms head the list.
The survey also indicated which reforms are important for the supporters of which of the parties running for parliament in the July 21 elections.
For example, 69 percent of those who support the race’s leading party, the Servant of the People, see anti-corruption as a top reform priority. Beyond that, 59 percent of their supporters want medical reform and 50 percent see pension reform as a priority. The law enforcement reform took fourth place with 39-percent support and lustration took fifth with 33 percent.
The fight against corruption is less important for the voters of the Russia-friendly Opposition Platform – For Life party that currently polls in second place with 12-percent support among decided voters. Among its voters, medical reform took priority with a rating of 66.5 percent. Pension reform came in second with 63 percent. They were followed by anti-corruption reform (47 percent) and rebuilding the economy of the Ukrainian-controlled territories of Donbas (36 percent).
Among supporters of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s Batkivshchyna party, pension reform was the top priority with a 63-percent rating. Anti-corruption reform came in second with 62 percent.
Anti-corruption reform is also the most important issue for those who have decided to support Voice, a recently-launched liberal party led by rock-star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, and European Solidarity, the rebranded party led by former President Petro Poroshenko. It received a rating of 76 and 69 percent among the two parties’ supporters, respectively.
The survey also asked the parties’ supporters whether they wanted Ukraine to move towards the West or Russia.
Respondents supporting the Voice, European Solidarity, Servant of the People and Batkivshchyna parties believe that Ukraine should join the European Union and NATO, the poll showed.
On the other hand, 39 percent of the Opposition Platform’s supporters believe that Ukraine should join the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union.
Apart from that, 58 percent of respondents who will vote for the European Solidarity party are against direct negations with the Kremlin-backed fighters controlling parts of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. Meanwhile, 75 percent of Opposition Platform’s voters support this idea.
The poll also shows that the majority of respondents who will back the Servant of People, Voice, European Solidarity, and Batkivshchyna parties in the July 21 parliamentary elections support the introduction of peacekeeping forces to the Russian-controlled territories in the east of Ukraine.
The poll was conducted among 2,017 respondents from all regions of Ukraine except Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, which are all occupied by Russia.
