Parties of Poroshenko, Tymoshenko draw almost equal support, poll says

Fatherland, the party of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, enjoys almost the same public support as the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, according to poll results released on July 20 by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. The Poroshenko Bloc would gain 23.5% support of those who would participate in an election held in July. Fatherland would earn 22.7%, the Self-Reliance party 12.2%, Oleh Liashko’s Radical Party 10.2%, the Opposition Bloc 7.2%, the Civic Position 5.5% and Praviy Sektor 5.4%. If presidential elections were held in July, Poroshenko would earn 14.6% and Tymoshenko would earn 4.6%. The poll was conducted between June 27 and July 9 involving 2,004 respondents.

Zenon Zawada: Usually, the personality of Yulia Tymoshenko had been more popular than her party. Now the roles are reversed as the party leadership took up the cause of fighting this year’s utility rate hikes, striking a chord in society and rejuvenating Tymoshenko’s political career, which sunk after the EuroMaidan. However, her own personal image still needs reconstruction, as revealed by the poll of presidential candidates.

The other big development revealed by the poll is the rising popularity of Praviy Sektor, the nationalist, paramilitary group. Its electorate is swelling from Ukrainians disenchanted with the pro-Western establishment, which includes war veterans and the relatives of the thousands killed and injured.

Recently, Praviy Sektor leader Dmytro Yarosh declared his opposition to Ukraine joining the EU and NATO, reflecting the growing feeling among the public of being betrayed by these structures. Indeed there will be a direct relationship between war casualties and rising support for Praviy Sektor, but the party will remain on the margins if the conflict continues at its current pace.