Ukrainian reform parties intensify activity

The Democratic Alliance, a youth-oriented pro-Western reforms party, held a congress on Nov. 19 at which it elected its board of directors, among other decisions. Its resolution sharply criticized Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, calling on him not to run for re-election in 2019. Among those attending the congress were Poroshenko Bloc MPs Serhiy Leshchenko and Svitlana Zalishchuk, who allege that they have been targeted for political reprisals by the Poroshenko administration for their criticism of the regime.

Mikheil Saakashvili, the former head of the Odesa regional administration, called upon all democratic, reforms-oriented Ukrainians to gather on Nov. 27 as part of a Movement of New Forces. “We will begin a total change of power in the country,” he said in a Nov. 19 Facebook post. “In the second anniversary of the failed work of parliament, we will voice our demands and begin a renewal of the political elite with the help of personnel.”

Zenon Zawada: This is not the first movement launched by Saakashvili since his arrival in Ukraine last year, which is still shifting shapes and names. Any serious pro-Western reforms party has enormous potential for success, yet we now see at least two such efforts, with more potentially cropping up. These forces will need to consolidate their resources if they want to succeed in the next parliamentary elections, scheduled for 2019.