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| Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky seeks power boost with snap election | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Polling is taking place in Ukraine, with voters electing a new parliament. | |
| Volodymyr Zelensky became president in a landslide victory in April but says he has so far been unable to appoint the ministers he wants. | Volodymyr Zelensky became president in a landslide victory in April but says he has so far been unable to appoint the ministers he wants. |
| The ex-TV star hopes this snap election, which he called after being sworn in, will consolidate his power and give a greater mandate for reform. | |
| Mr Zelensky's Servant of the People party - named after the TV show he starred in - is expected to do well. | Mr Zelensky's Servant of the People party - named after the TV show he starred in - is expected to do well. |
| Asked by the BBC's Steve Rosenberg outside a polling station in Kiev just how important the election was, Mr Zelensky told him: "Maybe more important than the presidential election." | |
| Polls suggest the second-most popular party is the pro-Russian Opposition Platform - For Life, and that it's set to pick up votes in the east. | Polls suggest the second-most popular party is the pro-Russian Opposition Platform - For Life, and that it's set to pick up votes in the east. |
| However, Mr Zelensky has ruled out working with it should he need to form a coalition. | However, Mr Zelensky has ruled out working with it should he need to form a coalition. |
| Instead he would rather partner with Holos (The Voice) - another new party led by rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, the lead singer of the popular band Okean Elzy. | Instead he would rather partner with Holos (The Voice) - another new party led by rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, the lead singer of the popular band Okean Elzy. |
| The president needs to share power with the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, which will form a government and nominate a prime minister. | The president needs to share power with the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, which will form a government and nominate a prime minister. |
| Mr Zelensky told our correspondent that the "president, prime minister and parliament have to work together, just to make life happy for Ukraine". | |
| He said the key issues were investment, democracy and safety. | |
| The comedian president | The comedian president |
| Mr Zelensky was known for his comic role on TV as a teacher who wins the heart of the nation and becomes president after his expletive-laden rant about politics goes viral. | Mr Zelensky was known for his comic role on TV as a teacher who wins the heart of the nation and becomes president after his expletive-laden rant about politics goes viral. |
| In reality, his route to the leadership was a bit more conventional than in his show - but only a bit. | In reality, his route to the leadership was a bit more conventional than in his show - but only a bit. |
| After shunning official rallies and speeches, demanding his opponent take a drug test and openly admitting he didn't have any strong political views, he scored a landslide victory in April and unseated the former political heavyweight, Petro Poroshenko. | After shunning official rallies and speeches, demanding his opponent take a drug test and openly admitting he didn't have any strong political views, he scored a landslide victory in April and unseated the former political heavyweight, Petro Poroshenko. |
| Now Mr Zelensky hopes to make waves again this weekend by sweeping aside the old guard and bringing in fresh blood. | Now Mr Zelensky hopes to make waves again this weekend by sweeping aside the old guard and bringing in fresh blood. |
| One of the candidates for Servant of the People, for example, is Zhan Beleniuk, an Olympic wrestler who wants to become Ukraine's first mixed-race MP. | One of the candidates for Servant of the People, for example, is Zhan Beleniuk, an Olympic wrestler who wants to become Ukraine's first mixed-race MP. |
| Mr Poroshenko, meanwhile, is still hoping for victory this weekend. | Mr Poroshenko, meanwhile, is still hoping for victory this weekend. |
| However, his party - rebranded European Solidarity to remove his name - is currently polling at about 8%, just over the 5% threshold needed to enter parliament. | However, his party - rebranded European Solidarity to remove his name - is currently polling at about 8%, just over the 5% threshold needed to enter parliament. |
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