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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky seeks power boost with snap election Ukraine election: President Zelensky's party triumphs - exit polls
(about 7 hours later)
Polling is taking place in Ukraine, with voters electing a new parliament. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's party is set to convincingly win a snap parliamentary election, consolidating his political power.
Volodymyr Zelensky became president in a landslide victory in April but says he has so far been unable to appoint the ministers he wants. Exit polls suggest the Servant of the People party will have a majority in parliament - but will need a coalition partner to form a government.
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 triumphed April's presidential poll - but has been unable to appoint the ministers he wants.
Mr Zelensky's Servant of the People party, named after the TV show he starred in, is expected to win the poll. He has pledged to implement radical reforms and tackle rampant corruption.
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." Speaking outside a polling station after casting his ballot in Kiev earlier on Sunday, Mr Zelensky told the BBC's Steve Rosenberg that the snap election was "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 is set to pick up votes in the east. Polling stations across Ukraine closed at 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT), and first official results are expected within several hours.
However, Mr Zelensky has ruled out working with it should he need to form a coalition. What do exit polls say?
Instead he would rather partner with Holos (The Voice) - another new party led by rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk. They say the Servant of the People will have about 44% of the vote, far more than each of the other four parties predicted to have cleared the 5% threshold to enter parliament.
The president needs to share power with the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, which will form a government and nominate a prime minister. Speaking in Kiev after the polls closed, President Zelensky said he was inviting a party led by rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk to form a coalition.
Mr Zelensky told our correspondent that the "president, prime minister and parliament have to work together, just to make life happy for Ukraine". "This was my initiative even before the election," Mr Zelensky said.
Mr Vakarchuk's Holos (The Voice) party is projected to win about 6% of the vote.
The pro-Russian Opposition Platform - For Life party is currently in second place with about 12% of the vote. However, Mr Zelensky has ruled out any coalition with it.
The other two parties projected to enter parliament are former President Petro Poroshenko's European Solidarity (about 9%) and Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) led by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (about 8%).
Mr Zelensky needs support from the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament. The victorious party or coalition will form a government and nominate a prime minister.
The president 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.He said the key issues were investment, democracy and safety.
Polling stations across Ukraine will close at 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT).
The comedian presidentThe 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 rallies and speeches and openly admitting he didn't have any strong political views, he scored a landslide victory in April and unseated Mr Poroshenko, a political heavyweight.
Now Mr Zelensky hopes to make waves again this weekend by sweeping aside the old guard and bringing in fresh blood. 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.
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.
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