Election Doesn't Solve Ukraine's Political Problem

In democratic societies, elections are supposed to resolve the main political questions the people face. A huge exception to this rule is Ukraine, where Sunday's presidential election appears to be just another chapter in a tale of uncertainty. Foreign monitors have said the election was fair and free, and Viktor Yanukovych appears to have a plurality of around 48% with almost all the votes counted. Yulia Tymoshenko, with 46% of the vote, says she will "never" accept a Yanukovych win.

This is a far cry from the Orange Revolution, which Ms. Tymoshenko helped to lead. In 2004, Mr. Yanukovych stole the election. The people filled the streets, and eventually a new election brought the current president, Viktor Yushchenko, to power. Things in Ukraine have been tough, and Mr. Yushchenko placed dismally in the first round of this year's election. Ukraine has effectively reversed itself at the ballot box.

However, Ukraine is an ethnically divided state. In the western part of the country, Ukrainian is spoken, while in the east, one will hear more Russian. About 77% if the population is Ukrainian. In addition, the economy of the Russian area is much more industrial than elsewhere.

The divisions show in the country's politics. Ms. Tymoshenko speaks Ukrainian and favors joining the EU and NATO while opposing proposals to make Russian an official language. Mr. Yanukovych wants Ukraine to be a "neutral state," part of a "collective defense system which the European Union, NATO and Russia will take part in." And of course, Russian should become a second official language according to him.

The question now is what Ms. Tymoshenko will do. If she will never accept Mr. Yanukovych's victory, what does she propose to do about it? There is no recourse, short of taking to the streets again. And Ukraine 2010 is a different country than it was in 2004. For one thing, it looks like Mr. Yanukovych won the election fair and square. It's hard to lead a battle in the streets against a clean election.

© Copyright 2010 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.

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