Election delay looms as Ukraine prepares to extend martial law

Ukrainian lawmakers are almost certain to extend martial law beyond its May 9 expiration date, with the prospect of elections pushed back further due to the ongoing war, parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk has stated. This decision comes despite mounting pressure from both the United States and Russia for Kyiv to hold elections.

Speaking from the heavily guarded Ukrainian parliament, Stefanchuk emphasized the practical and legal challenges of holding free and fair elections in a country that remains partially occupied and under constant attack, three years after Russia's full-scale invasion.

Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the Kremlin has attempted to delegitimize Ukraine's government, particularly President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose five-year term officially ended last year.

However, Stefanchuk reaffirmed Ukraine's commitment to democracy, contrasting the country's commitment to free elections with Russia’s repression of political opposition and its attempts to influence elections abroad covertly. "It is a priority for me because Ukraine has always been—historically, and it is now, and will remain—a democratic Ukraine," he told Reuters in an interview on April 10. "This is what distinguishes us from the Russian Federation. On this issue, we are on two banks of the civilisation abyss."

Stefanchuk also acknowledged that preparations for future elections have begun, but stressed they are still in the very early stages. Parliamentary and presidential elections were last held in Ukraine in 2019. Since then, martial law, which allows troop mobilization and suspends the electoral process, has been repeatedly extended, requiring parliamentary approval every 90 days.

Election delay and the impact of ongoing conflict

As Stefanchuk noted, the war is far from over, making it almost certain that parliament will renew martial law, as the country is still embroiled in conflict. The war has left approximately 800,000 Ukrainians, who would otherwise be eligible voters, currently serving in the military—either fighting on the front lines or in training.

Furthermore, nearly five million people from Ukraine's pre-war population of about 44 million are now registered as internally displaced, with another four million living in European Union countries. A significant portion of the country, particularly in the south and east, remains under Russian occupation.

While there were early calls from former U.S. President Donald Trump during his second term to end military support for Kyiv and seek a swift resolution to the war, negotiations have stalled, and fighting continues. The warfront stretches over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles), with Ukrainian towns and cities living under the constant threat of Russian bombardment.

Challenges of holding elections after the war

Even after the war concludes, holding elections will present an enormous challenge. Ukraine will need to establish a new legal framework for the electoral process, including laws that define the timing, rules, and procedures for elections. While work is underway on these issues, Stefanchuk confirmed that lawmakers, electoral officials, and experts have not yet started drafting the necessary legislation.

Decisions on the sequencing of local, parliamentary, and presidential elections remain undecided. Stefanchuk pointed out that holding all elections simultaneously would be unrealistic, even from a theoretical standpoint.

Before the war, organizing elections in Ukraine cost approximately 4 billion hryvnias (around $100 million). However, the challenges now are much more complex, with not only the financial burden of staging elections but also the need to ensure security and prevent potential interference from Moscow.

By Tamilla Hasanova