The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted a survey on whether it is appropriate to hold presidential and Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) elections during wartime.
81% of respondents spoke against it. They believe that elections should be held after the end of the war. Another 16% said that parliamentary elections should be held in October 2023 (then the term of office of the current members of the Verkhovna Rada expires), and presidential elections should be held in March 2024, despite the war.
Respondents were asked when, in their opinion, elections should be held.
When should the regional elections be held?
The majority of Ukrainians have a negative attitude to the idea of remote voting via the Internet due to the risks of falsification of the results. Such opinions were expressed by 65% of respondents. 29% are positive about such an idea.
The All-Ukrainian survey was conducted from September 30 to October 13, 2023. 2 007 adult respondents from all regions of Ukraine, except Crimea, took part in it. The statistical error of such a sample did not exceed 2.4% for indicators close to 50%, 2.1% for indicators close to 25%, 1.5% for indicators close to 10%, 1.1% for indicators, close to 5%.
What does the Constitution say about elections during wartime?
Elections to the Verkhovna Rada usually take place on the last Sunday of October in the fifth year of the parliamentʼs mandate. This year is just the fifth. However, Section 4 of Article 83 of the Constitution states that in the event of a state of martial law (or state of emergency) in the country, the powers of the Verkhovna Rada are extended until the day of its first meeting of the first session elected after the abolition of the state of martial law (state of emergency).
The presidential election should be held on the last Sunday of March 2024, when the term of office of the incumbent Volodymyr Zelensky expires. The Constitution does not explicitly state that elections are postponed during a state of war or emergency.
It is prohibited to change the Constitution of Ukraine in the conditions of a state of emergency or martial law (Part 2 of Article 157).
What does Zelensky say about the elections
"The law prohibits holding elections now. I told Senator Lindsay Graham, if our parliamentarians are ready to change the legislation, and the USA is ready to give us five billion for the elections, because I cannot take such money from the budget and from the Armed Forces, letʼs take risks together. Elections must be legitimate — observers must be in the trenches. We need the military to be able to vote, and people abroad too. I donʼt want the authorities to be treated as if they are holding on to their seats. I would like to hold elections," noted the president.