1、CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i Ukraine Elects a New President Cory Welt Specialist in European Affairs April 24, 2019 On April 21, 2019, Ukraine held the second round of its first presidential election since 2014, the year Russia occupied Ukraines Crime
2、a region and fostered a separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine. Popular actor-comedian and political novice Volodymyr Zelensky won an overwhelming victory. He defeated incumbent President Petro Poroshenko 73% to 24%. Observers considered the election to be largely free and fair. The election outcome
3、 suggests that Ukraines population is highly dissatisfied with politics as usual. Zelensky, 41, ran as an outsider ostensibly untainted by politics or corruption. His political appeal stems in part from his starring role in a popular television show as a beloved schoolteacher who is unexpectedly ele
4、cted president of Ukraine after a video of him delivering an anticorruption rant goes viral (the show, Servant of the People, is available with English subtitles online). One question is whether voters believe Zelensky will be the same kind of president in real life that he depicts on television. De
