War-weary Ukrainians are set to pick a pro-Western and nationalist-leaning parliament on Sunday that should give President Petro Poroshenko a mandate to end separatist conflict in the east, but may inject new tension into ties with Russia.
It is the first parliamentary election in the ex-Soviet republic of 46 millions since street protests in the capital last winter forced Moscow-backed leader Viktor Yanukovich to flee and ushered in a pro-Europe leadership under Poroshenko.
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console.log("catid body is "+catID);if(catID==120){document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://player.anyclip.com/anyclip-widget/lre-widget/prod/v1/src/lre.js'; script.setAttribute('pubname','jpostcom'); script.setAttribute('widgetname','0011r00001lcD1i_12258'); document.getElementsByClassName('divAnyClip')[0].appendChild(script);}else if(catID!=69 && catID!=2){ document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none"; var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://static.vidazoo.com/basev/vwpt.js'; script.setAttribute('data-widget-id','60fd6becf6393400049e6535'); document.getElementsByClassName('divVidazoo')[0].appendChild(script); }The results are expected to turn a political grouping supporting the 49-year-old confectionery tycoon into the leading force in the 450-seat assembly, giving him a mandate to pursue his peace plan for the east and carry out deep reforms sought by Ukraine's European Union partners.
Poroshenko said on Saturday in a televised address he wanted a majority to emerge that would see through laws to support a pro-Europe agenda and break with the Soviet past.
"Without such a majority in parliament, the President's program ... will simply remain on paper," he said.
With diminished pro-Russian influence and following a strong European integration agenda, it will be one of the most radical parliaments since Ukraine gained independence in 1991.
The emergence of a strong presence committed to a united Ukraine will place a fresh strain on ties with Russia which the Kiev leadership blames for backing rebels in a conflict that has killed more than 3,700 people and destroyed the economy.