Ukraine president's party headed to big election win
Near-complete results in Ukraine's parliamentary election show the president's party winning an overwhelming majority of seats, which would give President Volodymyr Zelenskiy the power to push through his promised ambitious reforms.
The national election commission reported Tuesday that with 94% of ballots counted, Zelenskiy's Servant of the People party had 43% of the vote for the 225 national seats in parliament allocated proportionally.
Candidates from the party also led in races for 176 of the 199 seats being chosen in individual constituencies.
Dmytro Razumkov, head of the Servant of the People party, speaks to the media at his party's headquarters after a parliamentary election in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, July 21, 2019. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's party took the largest share of votes in the country's snap parliamentary election, an exit poll showed Sunday. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
The election commission's tally had a Russia-friendly party led by tycoon Viktor Medvedchuk in second place in the nationwide vote with 13% and picking up 19 of the individual seats,
Zelenskiy, who took office in May, has promised strong actions against Ukraine's endemic corruption.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, center, applauds with his team at his party's headquarters after a parliamentary election in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, July 21, 2019. Zelenskiy's party took the largest share of votes in the country's snap parliamentary election, an exit poll showed Sunday. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to the media at his party's headquarters after a parliamentary election in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, July 21, 2019. Zelenskiy's party took the largest share of votes in the country's snap parliamentary election, an exit poll showed Sunday. (AP PhotoEvgeniy Maloletka)