Ukraine’s comedian president could be just what the country needs

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, an actor and comedian with no political experience other than playing the role of president in a TV series, has won a landslide victory in Ukraine’s presidential election. 

The incumbent, Petro Poroshenko conceded defeat on Sunday evening before results started coming in.According to official results released on Monday morning, with 85% of the vote counted, Zelenskiy had won 73.4% of the vote compared to Poroshenko’s 24.4%.

The election of Zelenskiy to the presidential office, at first glance, seems rather ridiculous, given how he is best known for his role in the long-running Ukrainian television series Servant of the People, where he played a teacher who is unexpectedly elected to the presidency after an angry rant about corruption is posted online by his students.

During the campaign, he offered little information about his policies or plans for the presidency, relying on viral videos, standup comedy gigs and jokes in place of traditional campaigning.

However, support for all the “old” politicians in the election was dwarfed by the turnout for the “fresh-faced” Zelenski. Many of his supporters were voting for the first time in their lives. With many voters wearied by the “political class” in Ukraine, Zelenskiy’s lack of experience was seen as a virtue rather than a disadvantage. 

Untypical for the normally regionally polarized Ukrainian elections, Zelenskiy’s coalition bridged the main divides. He enjoys the most even support across all the language groups. He led everywhere except three Galician regions in the west and two Donbass regions in the east that represent the two pro-western and pro-Russian extremes of Ukrainian politics.

Zelenskiy’s inexperience and his ability to gain wide-ranged support might, in fact, be just what Ukraine needs. Unlike many current western politicians and leaders, Zelenskiy is not seeking to divide people. On the contrary, the president-elect— who is supposedly running a profitable production company and has performed in small towns all over the country for years — is perceived as a symbol of success and national unity in a country that has often felt divided. He appeals to people who are fatigued by Ukraine’s war with Russia, or those who simply don’t want to think about it. He does not hold angry rallies— he discredits his political opponents by laughing at them.

As many western countries continue to be polarized by ongoing debates, having inexperienced leaders like Zelenskiy might just be the “fresh take” a country needs. However, improving Ukraine’s situation requires more than a celebrity president. Going forward, Zelenskiy must have a clear vision on exactly how he will bring about the changes he needs to as president. 

Featured Image- Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy Photo courtesy of The Conversation