2023-07-02 07:21:00
It all dates back to June 1, 2023. On that day, a Russian missile hit the eastern suburbs of Kiev, killing two women and a child who were unable to access the nearest underground shelter because it was closed at key. A drama that moved public opinion, and Volodymyr Zelensky immediately attacked the “internal enemies”, accusing the administration of the city of kyiv of negligence in the management of air-raid shelters.
“Unleashed Campaign”
Without naming him, Volodymyr Zelensky fired an uppercut at Vitali Klitschko, saying “there might be a knockout” for someone. Klitschko meanwhile denounced a “unleashed campaign”, accusing the presidency of wanting to regain control of the mayor of kyiv.
In reality, the conflict is not new between the two men. In 2019, Zelensky’s Servant of the People party unsuccessfully attempted to retake the Kyiv mayorship from Klitschko, a longtime ally of former President Petro Poroshenko. In vain, the former boxer winning the election, while Zelensky’s party never succeeded before the war in imposing its candidates in the big cities of Ukraine, whether Dnipro, Odessa or Kharkiv.
The siege of kyiv by the Russians in March 2022 put an end to the bad relations between Zelensky and Klitschko. These are, however, in the process of being reborn, while the presidential administration would like to bring the management of the affairs of the capital back into its fold.
Should we see here a tendency to the authoritarianism of Zelensky or the rebirth of an opposition to the president? In fact, what this affair reveals is that political life, which has been somewhat put under the extinguisher, in a logic of national unity, is not completely dead. However, as long as the war lasts, there will be no elections in Ukraine, and inevitably, the administration of Zelensky would like to have more relays, transmission belts at the local level to manage the country at war.
It’s “good war”, but Zelensky is absolutely not in a position to impose his good will on Kiev or elsewhere, because despite his very strong popularity, the Ukrainians are very attached to plurality, and President Zelensky never received a blank check from the company.
However, it is a fact, the Head of State and his entourage perceive Klitschko as a potential opponent in the future, they are very wary of him. The polls do not lie: the approval rate for Volodymyr Zelensky’s action in society is 83%, once morest 48% for Vitali Klitschko. The city of kyiv and the capital’s intelligentsia have always been a little resistant to Zelensky’s style, but for the moment he remains the boss.
Now, what is positive is that despite the war, Ukraine is still capable of pluralism. Personalities are asserting themselves, possible challengers for Zelensky: we can cite Vitaly Kim, Serhiy Prytula, still little known internationally. But for the moment, Vitali Klitschko does not box in the same category as Zelensky.
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