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Ukraine election: President Zelensky's party set to win | Ukraine election: President Zelensky's party set to win |
(32 minutes later) | |
The party of Ukrainian president - and ex-comedian - Volodymyr Zelensky is set to win a snap parliamentary election, consolidating his political power. | The party of Ukrainian president - and ex-comedian - Volodymyr Zelensky is set to win a snap parliamentary election, consolidating his political power. |
Official results show his Servant of the People party will have a majority in parliament - but may still need a coalition partner to form a government. | |
Mr Zelensky said he would hold talks with the Holos (The Voice) party, which is led by a rock star. | Mr Zelensky said he would hold talks with the Holos (The Voice) party, which is led by a rock star. |
The president has pledged to implement radical reforms and tackle corruption. | The president has pledged to implement radical reforms and tackle corruption. |
Since he triumphed in April's presidential poll, Mr Zelensky has been unable to appoint the ministers he wants. | Since he triumphed in April's presidential poll, Mr Zelensky has been unable to appoint the ministers he wants. |
His party, which was only registered last year, is projected by Ukrainian media outlets to be on course to win an absolute majority - more than half of the seats in Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. | His party, which was only registered last year, is projected by Ukrainian media outlets to be on course to win an absolute majority - more than half of the seats in Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. |
Only 424 of the 450 seats are up for grabs, with the remaining seats representing Crimea, which was annexed from Ukraine by Russia in a military intervention in 2014. | Only 424 of the 450 seats are up for grabs, with the remaining seats representing Crimea, which was annexed from Ukraine by Russia in a military intervention in 2014. |
Speaking outside a polling station after casting his ballot in Kiev on Sunday, Mr Zelensky told the BBC's Steve Rosenberg that 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 that the snap election was "maybe more important than the presidential election". |
What are the latest results? | What are the latest results? |
With more than 50% of votes counted, five parties look on course to clear the 5% threshold to enter parliament. | With more than 50% of votes counted, five parties look on course to clear the 5% threshold to enter parliament. |
Partial official results give Mr Zelensky's party 42.5% of the vote, with the pro-Russian Opposition Platform-For Life, who Mr Zelensky has ruled out a coalition with, in second place with 12.8%. | Partial official results give Mr Zelensky's party 42.5% of the vote, with the pro-Russian Opposition Platform-For Life, who Mr Zelensky has ruled out a coalition with, in second place with 12.8%. |
Speaking in Kiev after the polls closed, Mr Zelensky said that inviting Svyatoslav Vakarchuk's Holos party to hold talks on forming a coalition "was my initiative even before the election". | Speaking in Kiev after the polls closed, Mr Zelensky said that inviting Svyatoslav Vakarchuk's Holos party to hold talks on forming a coalition "was my initiative even before the election". |
Holos has so far won 6.4% of the vote. | Holos has so far won 6.4% of the vote. |
The other two parties projected to enter parliament are former President Petro Poroshenko's European Solidarity (8.7%) and Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) led by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (8.2%). | The other two parties projected to enter parliament are former President Petro Poroshenko's European Solidarity (8.7%) and Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) led by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (8.2%). |
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 that the "president, prime minister and parliament have to work together, just to make life happy for Ukraine". | 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. |
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. |