Groysman to join new political party in October vote

Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said on
Apr. 22 he will join a new political party to compete in the October
parliamentary elections. He was elected to the current parliament in 2014 with
the Solidarity Poroshenko Bloc. During the television talk show, Groysman also
repeated calls for exclusive open-list voting in the elections, in which voters
select candidates nominated by parties. Currently, half the seats in parliament
are elected by the winners of single-mandate districts, while the other half
are determined by voting for parties with closed, pre-determined lists of
candidates.

Zenon Zawada: We believe
Groysman, 41, will try to cooperate with Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskiy, 41, with the possible goal of joining and promoting Zelenskiy’s
newly launched, but yet-to-be-defined party. The People’s Servant party is
likely to be a centrist force with pragmatic goals – such as fighting
corruption and improving investment conditions – that appeals to young
entrepreneurial urbanites.

Groysman can adjust his image to conform accordingly,
while offering Zelenskiy his deep experience in both parliament and the
Cabinet. Groysman isn’t particularly popular and doesn’t draw an electorate to
any party on his own. Yet to his credit, he has managed to preserve his
reputation, without being associated with corruption nor alienating a large
section of the public, which is a remarkable feat for any Ukrainian prime
minister. The ability to work together will determine whether Zelenskiy will be
cooperating with the old elites, with Groysman being among the least offensive
figures, or if the president will be in conflict with them.