Last New Year's Eve, actor and showman Vladimir Zelensky made an address to the viewers of the 1 + 1 channel. He announced his participation in the presidential elections to be held in Ukraine on March 31, 2019. Three weeks later, the Servant of the People party, which he created, officially nominated Zelenskiy as a candidate for the country's main state post. The showman's political ambitions were not news to voters. Moreover, opinion polls indicate his high ratings and good chances of winning.
From KVN to politics
Vladimir Zelensky turned 40 in 2018. He is the new face of Ukrainian politics, at the same time he is well known and loved by the people. He started with participation in KVN with the team "Zaporozhye - Kryvyi Rih - Transit", then he created his own team "95th quarter". In 2003, Zelensky and his comrades left KVN and began performing on the Ukrainian channels 1 + 1 and Inter. Their author's TV show "Evening Quarter" was a huge success in Ukraine. At the same time, Studio Kvartal 95 was created, which is engaged in the release and production of television programs, serials, films.
Russian viewers will remember Zelensky for his roles in the films Love in the City, 8 First Dates, as well as in the sequels of these movie stories. The production project of "Studio Quarter 95" - the series "Matchmakers" has also become a real hit.
Until recently, the Ukrainian comedian did not even think about politics. For the first time, questions about Zelensky's presidential ambitions began to sound after the release of the Servant of the People series, where he played the school teacher Vasily Goloborodko, who became the president of Ukraine. At first, the actor answered questions about the implementation of this plot evasively, assuring that he was satisfied with his work in show business. However, active participation in the country's political life and a number of high-profile statements allowed Ukrainian voters to seriously consider Zelensky's candidacy as the future president. Then he himself could not stay away for a long time and officially declared himself on the political arena of Ukraine.
Political views
Zelenskiy supported the change of political power in Ukraine in 2014. He sided with the new authorities and during the hostilities in the Donbass, spoke to the Ukrainian military, openly mocking Russia and its allies, the DPR and LPR. A generous donation in the amount of one million hryvnias, which Studio Kvartal 95 donated to the needs of the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine, was widely covered in the press.
At the same time, the actions of the official authorities did not always find support in the person of Zelensky. In particular, he was indignant at the ban on the TV series "Matchmakers" and at first rejected the idea of restricting the entry of Russian cultural figures into the country. On the air of his own television programs, Zelensky was not afraid to criticize the current government, and, judging by the high ratings on television, his words resonated among ordinary Ukrainians.
In a recent interview, the comedian and showman, boldly stepping into big politics, compared Petro Poroshenko's stay in power to a highly publicized film that was praised and extolled before it was released, and as a result, viewers saw a mediocre movie. In addition, in an interview with journalist Dmitry Gordon, Zelensky for the first time voiced his position on many key issues:
- the time has come to negotiate with Russia about Donbass, which does not exclude meetings and communication with Putin;
- the process of abandoning the Russian language in Ukraine should proceed gradually, without violent "burning out";
- Russian artists who support Putin should be kept out of the country after all;
- decommunization of Ukrainian history and culture is necessary;
- supports the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, although he himself prefers to communicate with God “without intermediaries”;
- does not see the need for an early entry into NATO and the EU.
Chances of Winning
With the first rumors about Zelensky's participation in the presidential elections, his ratings have grown steadily. At the moment, he confidently holds the second place, having secured the support of about 8-10% of Ukrainian voters. Only the charismatic and more experienced Yulia Tymoshenko is ahead of the showman. In addition, there are rumors of financial support for Zelensky's candidacy by the Ukrainian oligarch Igor Kolomoisky, to whom he owes such a quick and successful advance in politics.
In general, Zelenskiy's popularity ratings are a serious claim for success. He is expected to enter the second round of the presidential elections together with Tymoshenko. And then the support of the young candidate can be provided by one of the authoritative Ukrainian politicians, which further increases his chances of winning. Or, the votes cast for Zelenskiy will help lure the electorate away from other favorites in the presidential race, strengthening the leading position of one candidate. In any case, it will not be long to wait for the denouement of the political "series" with Zelensky's participation.
