Ukraine Pre-Term Election December 7
President Viktor Yushchenko’s office has announced Ukraine’s next parliamentary election will take place on December 7.
I wonder how voter apathy will affect this election. Not in terms of which party people vote for, but whether citizens will even turn out to vote. With Parliament being dissolved seemingly every year, people must be wondering if their votes even count anymore. While the situation is discouraging, I hope Ukrainian citizens still show up at the polls. Voting is a right they should not take lightly.
I’m actually looking ahead of this election and focusing my interest on next year’s presidential election. It will be interesting to see who the candidates will be and which one Ukrainians believe can truly turn things around.
I wonder how voter apathy will affect this election. Not in terms of which party people vote for, but whether citizens will even turn out to vote. With Parliament being dissolved seemingly every year, people must be wondering if their votes even count anymore. While the situation is discouraging, I hope Ukrainian citizens still show up at the polls. Voting is a right they should not take lightly.
I’m actually looking ahead of this election and focusing my interest on next year’s presidential election. It will be interesting to see who the candidates will be and which one Ukrainians believe can truly turn things around.
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Ah, Ukraine ... such a wonderful country. I am curious, but do you live in Ukraine? Are you aware as to what is really going on here? ... the falling Grivna is a major crisis in the works. The way Yushchenko bashed Timoshenko on national TV was also quite the piece of entertainment.
... oh, and as for voter apathy, whether people actually show up to the poles or not doesn't really matter, their votes will be cast, you can be sure of that. In the previous elections I know several people who tried voting at the last minute, they were told that they already voted and were denied their vote. If a party controls a region, you can be sure that the majority of the people in that region will vote for that party. In a country this corrupt, anything goes.
Posted by: zhann | October 9, 2008 5:54 PM
Zhann,
No, I do not live in Ukraine, but I have many friends living there. I am aware of the problems with the Grivna and am certain that Yushchenko was entertaining. Tymoshenko has also been entertaining in her actions and bashing of Yushchenko. Ukraine is in serious need of someone who can really institute change and I don't see that person being Yushchenko, Tymoshenko or Yanukovych.
I am well aware of the country's history of electoral fraud and understand what may occur in each region during the election. My point was to address public apathy about the country's political process. While this is not the same situation as in 2004, I don't see voters being interested anymore. Public interest and enthusiasm that were seen during the "Orange Revolution" is gone, but who can blame them? They don't have any good choices to make.
Posted by: Mark
| October 9, 2008 6:18 PM
Politics is very big in this country, as well as everywhere else. With regards to Voter Apathy, my impression is that no one thinks that their votes count. As far as most of the people I speak to go, they feel that regardless of who they vote for, the region is already headed in a particular direction. After the Orange Revolution, most people were very excited. When Yushchenko disolved parliament the first time there was already a lot of discontent. The second time pushed people farther away ... now, I am sure that you are correct and very few people will go to the poles. However, if you pay attention to the actual numbers of ballots cast you will be inclined to think that the majority of people are in fact voting.
Posted by: zhann | October 10, 2008 7:54 AM