Zelensky expected to strengthen his hand in Ukraine’s parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections will be held in Ukraine today.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy needs a majority for his Servant of the People party in order to meet his electoral promise of changing the political culture and ending corruption. His party holds a healthy lead in the polls with 48.5%, while the pro-Russian Opposition Platform For Life party is polling a distant second at 15%.

Though suspicions that Mr Zelenskiy is a proponent of the oligarchy persist, his party largely contains businesspeople, activists and famous personalities with limited political experience. This has allowed him to capitalise on anti-establishment sentiment. Indeed, even though 60% of Ukraine’s sectors are uncompetitive, 48% of Ukrainians believe the economy will improve within a year and 61% feel positive about the future.

With Zelenskiy likely to gain close to majority, expect the passing of reforms, particularly those that build stronger ties with the West.

Wake up smarter with an assessment of the stories that will make headlines in the next 24 hours. Download The Daily Brief.