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| Ukraine election: President Zelensky's party set for big win | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| President Volodymyr Zelensky looks set to be the first Ukrainian leader since the fall of communism to command an overall majority in parliament. | President Volodymyr Zelensky looks set to be the first Ukrainian leader since the fall of communism to command an overall majority in parliament. |
| Servant of the People, the party named after the TV sitcom that made him famous, has won 42.6% of the vote with more than 70% of results counted. | |
| The party says it is on course to win nearly 250 of parliament's 450 seats. | The party says it is on course to win nearly 250 of parliament's 450 seats. |
| A decisive win for Mr Zelensky's party will make it easier for him to push through reforms and tackle corruption. | A decisive win for Mr Zelensky's party will make it easier for him to push through reforms and tackle corruption. |
| It will also be the best result by any party in Ukraine's post-1991 history. | It will also be the best result by any party in Ukraine's post-1991 history. |
| Since he triumphed in April's presidential poll, Mr Zelensky, 41, has been unable to appoint the ministers he wants. | Since he triumphed in April's presidential poll, Mr Zelensky, 41, has been unable to appoint the ministers he wants. |
| On Sunday, 424 seats in the parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, were contested. Those seats not included represent the war-torn Donbas region and Crimea, which was annexed from Ukraine by Russia in 2014. | On Sunday, 424 seats in the parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, were contested. Those seats not included represent the war-torn Donbas region and Crimea, which was annexed from Ukraine by Russia in 2014. |
| Speaking outside a polling station after casting his ballot in Kiev on Sunday, Mr Zelensky told the BBC's Steve Rosenberg the snap election was "maybe more important than the presidential election". | Speaking outside a polling station after casting his ballot in Kiev on Sunday, Mr Zelensky told the BBC's Steve Rosenberg the snap election was "maybe more important than the presidential election". |
| What are the latest results? | What are the latest results? |
| Five parties look on course to clear the 5% threshold to enter parliament, with the pro-Russian Opposition Platform-For Life party in second place with 13%. | Five parties look on course to clear the 5% threshold to enter parliament, with the pro-Russian Opposition Platform-For Life party in second place with 13%. |
| The Holos (Voice) party, seen as a possible coalition partner for Mr Zelensky should he need one, has so far won 6.3% of the vote. | The Holos (Voice) party, seen as a possible coalition partner for Mr Zelensky should he need one, has so far won 6.3% of the vote. |
| The other two parties projected to enter parliament are former President Petro Poroshenko's European Solidarity (8.4%) and Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) led by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (8%). | |
| The victorious party or coalition will form a government and nominate a prime minister. | The victorious party or coalition will form a government and nominate a prime minister. |
| What powers does Ukraine's parliament have? | What powers does Ukraine's parliament have? |
| The president told our correspondent the "president, prime minister and parliament have to work together, just to make life happy for Ukraine". | The president told our correspondent 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. | 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 rallies and speeches and openly admitting he did not have any strong political views, he scored a landslide victory in April and unseated Mr Poroshenko, a political heavyweight. | After shunning rallies and speeches and openly admitting he did not have any strong political views, he scored a landslide victory in April and unseated Mr Poroshenko, a political heavyweight. |
| The election was widely expected to give Mr Zelensky a greater mandate for reform, sweeping aside the old guard and bringing new faces to parliament. | The election was widely expected to give Mr Zelensky a greater mandate for reform, sweeping aside the old guard and bringing new faces to parliament. |
| 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. |