Meanwhile, away from the elections...
WATCH: Ukraine's Zelenskiy Promises 'Victory Over Corruption' As Party Leads Snap Parliamentary Vote
Good morning, starting off the live blog today with news that Servant of the People, the party of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, appears on course to win a parliamentary majority.
- By RFE/RL
This ends our live blogging for July 21. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage of Ukraine's parliamentary election and what it means for the country.
Ukrainian voters sent a resounding message by choosing a political outsider as president three months ago. Now it appears they’re doubling down on that same message: we want change. Here are five things you need to know about today's vote.
KYIV – Ukrainian voters have spoken — yet again — and their message is loud and clear: they want change.
Three months to the day after comedian-turned-president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s landslide election victory upended Ukrainian politics, his political party continued the trend, as it appeared to score a decisive win in the country’s snap parliamentary vote on July 21.
Pledging to crack down on corruption, fix the struggling economy, and end the Russia-backed separatist conflict in the country’s east, Zelenskiy’s Servant Of The People party — named after the television series that catapulted him to fame — is on track to win 44 percent of the national vote, according to the exit poll published just after voting concluded.
The poll was released as the Central Election Commission reported that 50 percent of ballots in party-list voting had been calculated. Final official results, which will include single-mandate constituencies, will be published later in the week, though no dramatic changes are expected.
Here are five takeaways from the vote.
- By RFE/RL
Zelenskiy Celebrates Win For His Party In Ukraine's Parliamentary Election, Wants New Face For Prime Minister