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What the first round left open in Ukraine
Summary
A look back at the position of Ukraine's presidential race on 2 April 2019, two days after the first round and with a runoff pending.
What did Ukraine's presidential race look like on 2 April 2019? Two days after the first round on 31 March, the contest had narrowed to two names, and the country was waiting for a runoff.
Turnout in the first round was 63.52 per cent. Volodymyr Zelensky, described in pre-vote reporting as a comedian, finished first with 30.24 per cent. Petro Poroshenko, the president, took second place with 15.95 per cent and advanced to the second round with him.
A crowded ballot
The field had been large. A total of 39 candidates were on the ballot, which made it likely that nobody would pass 50 per cent. In that case the top two would meet in a second round on 21 April. Pre-vote reporting named Poroshenko, Zelensky and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko as the main contenders. All three had expressed largely pro-European views. Former Vice Prime Minister Yuriy Boyko was seen as the front-runner among the pro-Russian candidates.
Elsewhere that day
On the same date, an item from the wider region drew attention. Russia opened a helicopter training facility in Venezuela. Under the plans, the Russian state-owned company Rostec would train Venezuelan pilots to operate Mi-35M gunships and transport helicopters. The move followed a White House warning to Moscow against sending troops or military equipment to the country.
How it ended
The runoff took place later, on 21 April 2019. The Central Election Commission announced that Zelensky won the second round with 73.22 per cent of the vote. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe recognised the elections as free and fair. None of that was known on 2 April, when the runoff was still ahead.
