People who chose Yanukovych as their president are about to make the same mistake for the second time by voting for Zelensky. But I would like to believe that Volodymyr Zelensky’s rating will still fail before the elections. There are several reasons for it. Here are some of them.
First, it is unlikely that all of his potential voters, who declare their support for this candidate in social networks, will reach the ballot boxes. Making fun and boasting their allegedly “anti-systemic” choice is only half the battle, but taking a passport and coming to the polling station instead of partying or picnicking on Sunday is a completely different story. Not to mention the fact that young people’s place of actual living often differs from their place of registration, so they simply will not be able to vote.
Secondly, within every week the “novelty” effect of this candidate is slowly wearing off. Initially, the part of voters, who were tired of the so-called “old” politics, were interested in him: a man with no political experience, a comedian who ridicules power, a simple guy with a real Instagram account and so on. But after 1 + 1 Channel had shown Zelensky’s greeting instead of the President’s New Year speech, it opened many people’s eyes and demonstrated that this candidate was not only supported but even “promoted” by the oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky.
This “novelty” effect, however, is wearing off gradually: Zelensky has already spent an enormous amount of money on billboards all over the country – just like other politicians have done; he has already opened his offices, shouted at the journalists and had no success on the TV show. What was “funny” is not so funny anymore – it became boring and even started to cause irritation.
Thirdly, in order to win the elections, one really needs to have a team. Not just a group of well-paid media professionals, but a team of like-minded people who believe in you and are ready to take risks. It is not enough to open expensive and modern offices in regional centers. It is necessary to have members of district committees and observers in distant provincial villages, where there is even no mobile service sometimes. It is not enough to only win the elections – the victory also has to be defended. And it is impossible without a team.
In addition, a significant part of voters has not yet thought seriously about voting. They are ready to hypothetically vote for Zelensky, without analyzing the risks and consequences. But once you ask them several serious questions, they start to hesitate.
For example, two weeks ago I had to go to the military commissariat. While I was waiting in line, I had a talk with a staff member of the military commissariat. Naturally, we talked about politics and the forthcoming presidential elections. An employee of the military commissariat (by the way, to deny the stereotype about youth, I have to say that he was a retired lawyer) told me that he was fed up with everybody that is why he would vote for someone new. To be more specific, he was going to vote for Volodymyr Zelensky.
Then I asked him, “You are working in the military commissariat, you recruit young boys into the army and send soldiers to the frontline. Can you imagine how these young boys take an oath and die for Ukraine fulfilling the orders of Commander-in-Chief Zelensky who made a joke about Ukraine as a character of a German film, which is ready to “accept” from all sides?”
Feeling embarrassed after such a simple and clear question, my interlocutor began to reconsider his position. He answered something like “well yes, but we need changes. However, I have to think more about it, weigh everything, I have time anyway”.
So, I also hope that over the period of these three weeks Ukrainians will finally realize that elections in a war-torn country are not “fun”. It is not a joke in any country because our future and the next 5 years, in particular, depend on it. When buying a toaster, people choose a reliable and high-quality device, not just a bright thing, but the one that will not burn down the whole house. So why are they ready to hire a manager who can burn down this house and gamble everything away for the next five years?
So, I want to believe that my compatriots will really weigh everything all over again, think carefully and make a conscious, responsible and wise choice.
Otherwise, it can be the end of our country. Or, more specifically, ZE end.
Andriy Lyubka
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