Comedian-turned-candidate Zelensky wins Ukraine presidency by landslide

[Valin]

Times of Israel/AP

Jewish actor with no political experience expected to take 73 percent of the popular vote; incumbent Poroshenko concedes defeat

Oleksandr SAVOCHENKO and Anna SMOLCHENKO

21 April 2019

KIEV, Ukraine (AFP) – A comedian with no political experience won a landslide victory in Ukraine’s presidential election on Sunday, exit polls showed, dealing a stunning rebuke to the country’s political establishment.

Volodymyr Zelensky, whose only previous political role was playing the president on television, trounced incumbent Petro Poroshenko by taking 73 percent of the vote, according to exit polls conducted by several think tanks.

Poroshenko lost to the television star across all regions of the country, including in the west, where he traditionally enjoyed strong support.

He swiftly conceded defeat and congratulated Zelkensky.

The win was an extraordinary outcome to a campaign that started as a joke, but struck a chord with voters frustrated by poverty, corruption, and a five-year war that has claimed some 13,000 lives.

(Snip)

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