Poroshenko fails to consolidate support of cabinet, parliament ahead of elections

Two closed door meetings held this week by Ukrainian
President Poroshenko with parliamentary faction heads and the Cabinet of
Ministers were intended to consolidate both bodies behind his presidency and
re-election campaign, the pravda.com.ua news site reported on Apr. 18, citing
its anonymous sources that participated. He also wanted to renew their support
after abandoning alleged plans to hold early parliamentary elections and
arrange for the dismissal of the Cabinet and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman.

“They are telling you that I am gathering votes for
the Cabinet’s dismissal. That’s not true. I am a friend of the Cabinet. We are
together. I am looking all of you in the eyes and telling you this,” the
president allegedly said, as paraphrased by a minister from the Poroshenko Bloc
quota who was present. Both meetings failed to produce any statement of unity
and cooperation that the president was seeking, the report said.

Among the factors convincing Poroshenko not to hold
early parliamentary elections in the late summer or early fall was Ukraine’s
Western partners, who were concerned that elections “have the potential to
finally destabilize an already unstable country.” The president also couldn’t
muster enough support for the elections in parliament, where only his faction
stood to benefit, the report said.

Zenon Zawada: Though the
president seems to understand that he lacks popularity among the Ukrainian
public, these meetings indicate that he’s unable to comprehend the resentment
he has also generated among the leading politicians. The fact that he called
this meeting without the presence of Interior Minister Avakov (who was in the
U.S. at the time) indicates that Avakov is leaning towards aligning with
leading contender Yulia Tymoshenko for the campaign for the March presidential
vote, which would be another nail in the coffin of the president’s re-election
hopes.

The report also indicated ongoing tensions with the
People’s Front faction, which could also align with Tymoshenko and her party. Unless
he proposes new campaign themes beyond NATO membership and Orthodox church
recognition to generate public support, the president’s re-election hopes are
in the process of imploding.