According to the law, the next elections should be held in Ukraine in the fall of 2023. But, according to the law, they cannot be held during martial law in the country. However, lawyers say that there are several options for carrying them out even if the war is not over yet.
Who will be chosen?
The following elections should be held in the near future:
- October 2023 – parliamentary elections;
- Spring 2024 – presidential elections.
Many specialists see a problem in this sequence because holding these elections separately is costly for the country. It is more rational to halve the costs by carrying them out at the same time.
Intrigue is added by the fact that from the very beginning of the term, the current President of Ukraine, Zelenskyy, has stated several times that he will be in power only once, and he will not nominate his candidacy again.
What does the law say?
During martial law, the Constitution of Ukraine prohibits elections. In order for them to take place, it is necessary to cancel this condition, at least temporarily. It is almost impossible to do. After the cancellation, men of draft age, who are planned to replenish the reserve forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, may leave the country in large numbers.
Who will not be given the right to express their will?
Realists note that at least half a month should pass after the end of the war, but even that is too fast for the normal organization of elections.
Meanwhile, the Verkhovna Rada has already begun work on changes to the electoral legislation. Regions, where the election process cannot be held, will be determined. The election moratorium is planned to be established in the following Ukrainian territories:
- Donetsk region;
- Luhansk region;
- Crimea.
Currently, they are considering the possibility of such a moratorium until 2030.
An unprecedented case
One of the biggest challenges will be updating the Register of Voters, as there are several issues:
millions of citizens who moved within the country, but did not register at their place of residence;
Ukrainians who live abroad.
Equipping the required number of polling stations for the latter is difficult and expensive. Even in 2019, this caused difficulties, but now the scale is completely different.
Saving Internet
Another option is voting through the DIIA application. This could reduce costs and attract all Ukrainian citizens abroad. However, such a system raises questions about legality and vulnerability to hacker attacks.
