Vakarchuk launches party to compete in October elections

Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, the intellectual rock star,
announced on May 16 the launch of his political party, Holos (Voice), and its
intention to compete in the October parliamentary elections. The party’s
priorities will be centered on Euro-Atlantic integration, “a free economy
without oligarchs,” rule of law and equality under the law, anti-corruption,
medicine and security, said Vakarchuk, who served as an MP in 2007-2008 and was
widely speculated to compete for the presidency this year, though he ultimately
declined. “If we are able to being 30 people to the Rada, that will be 30 iron
people,” Vakarchuk said in an event announcing the party’s launch. “They will
be united. We won’t be able to be bought. These will be people with an entirely
different political culture. And these 30 will be a blemish on the whole
parliament because they will show people that things can be done honestly.”
Among the first members of the party are former deputy economy minister Yulia
Klymenko and Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, the former executive director of Transparency
International Ukraine.

 

Four parties would qualify for parliament if elections
were held now, according to a poll released on May 16. The People’s Servant
party led by President-Elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy would earn 29.5% of votes, the
Opposition Platform For Life party led by former Energy Minister Yuriy Boyko
would earn 8.1%, the  Solidarity Poroshenko Bloc would earn 7.8% and the
Fatherland party led by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko would earn 6.7%.
The poll was conducted between Apr. 30 and May 10 among 3,000 respondents by
the Social Monitoring Center, the Yaremenko Ukrainian Institute for Social
Research and the Rating Sociological Group.

 

Zenon Zawada: This poll
means little since the election landscape will change dramatically by the time
of the October parliamentary vote. It will be an extremely competitive election
with many new and vibrant parties. So far, we can only say with confidence that
the protectionist, anti-IMF Fatherland party (led by Yulia Tymoshenko) will
qualify. At least one of the two pro-Russian parties will qualify, if not both.

 

The political landscape in Ukraine can be summarized
in the following categories:

 

Pragmatist, pro-Western parties

The People’s Servant led by Volodymyr Zelenskiy,
Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform led by Kyiv Mayor Viltali Klitschko, Civic
Position led by Anatoliy Grytsenko, party to be led by Prime Minister Volodymyr
Groysman.

 

Neoliberal, pro-Western parties

Holos led by Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, party to be led by
Yegor Sobolev.

 

Traditional, pro-Western parties

Solidarity Poroshenko Bloc, Honor and Strength led by
Ihor Smeshko, Self-Reliance led by Andriy Sadovyi.

 

Protectionist, anti-IMF parties

Fatherland led by Yulia Tymoshenko, Radical Party led
by Oleh Liashko, Freedom led by Oleh Tiahnybok.

 

Pro-Russian parties

Opposition Platform For Life led by Yuriy Boyko,
Opposition Bloc for Peace and Development led by Oleksandr Vilkul.