Tymoshenko endorses Yatsenyuk as opposition candidate

Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, currently serving a seven-year prison sentence, reportedly said on Feb. 4 that Ukraine’s pro-European opposition forces should support Arseniy Yatsenyuk as the candidate to challenge President Viktor Yanukovych in the 2015 presidential election. The report was offered by Oleksandra Kuzhel, an MP from the Fatherland party that was launched by Tymoshenko, whom she visited in prison. The 38-year-old Yatsenyuk is currently the leader of Fatherland.

Zenon Zawada: Yatsenyuk has a strong chance to become the opposition candidate to challenge Yanukovych. Given the October parliamentary results, he also stands a strong chance of defeating him on fair terms. That’s the key variable, of course. The October elections showed the president and the ruling Party of Regions aren’t interested in holding a fair competition, which will be the main challenge for the opposition. Moreover, we’re observing numerous exit strategies already being set up by the Party of Regions ahead of the 2015 vote, such as the possibility for holding referenda and transferring the presidential vote to the parliament, out of the public’s hands.