Wartime elections may weaken Ukraine as a state - expert
Andrii Mahera, an expert on constitutional law at the Centre of Policy and Legal Reform, has explained that holding elections in Ukraine during martial law threatens to weaken the state's position both domestically and internationally
He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.
"If we imagine that the military intervention by Russia continues and martial law in Ukraine remains in effect, but someone decides to hold elections, then Ukraine, as a state facing external aggression, will be significantly weakened. Politicians will become embroiled in conflicts with each other. It is also important to understand that elections are not just about printing ballots, voting, and dropping them into ballot boxes; they are about values and principles. Elections cannot be merely a mechanical process. All electoral procedures depend on these values and principles. If these principles are not respected, the question arises: who will recognize such elections in the world?" Mahera explained.
According to the expert, the election process in Ukraine can only take place after the end of martial law.
“If we hold elections that do not adhere to basic democratic values and principles, the support of the UN will change accordingly. Countries in the Global South, most of which voted in support of Ukraine's territorial integrity, may alter their position. They may simply declare that they do not recognize the new government in Ukraine. Therefore, it is clear that elections can be held only when martial law in Ukraine is lifted,” he emphasized.
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