Head of the Ukrainian Parliament, Stefanchuk, reveals what’s hindering the elections in Ukraine

Ukraine may decide to hold elections if it addresses five key issues.

This information reported according to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s Parliament), Ruslan Stefanchuk.

He listed these problems as follows:

1. The right of military personnel to participate in elections and run for office.
2. The voting rights of refugees.
3. How to organize elections in the occupied territories.
4. Financing elections.
5. Ensuring free access to the media and protecting the information space from unwanted Russian influence.

Stefanchuk also mentioned that he has reached out to colleagues in numerous world parliaments to share their experiences in conducting or not conducting elections during wartime.

“We are currently exchanging experiences. I think there will be some decision in the near future,” he concluded.

According to the Constitution, the next regular parliamentary elections should have already taken place in October of this year, and the presidential elections are scheduled for the spring of 2024. However, the state of martial law on Ukrainian territory complicates their organization. Currently, active discussions are ongoing regarding this issue.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that he intends to run for re-election in Ukraine if they occur before the end of the war with Russia. He justified his decision by claiming that he “cannot hide during a war.” However, during his 2019 election campaign, Zelensky had initially indicated that he was running for president for just one term.