The country’s trajectory in the last two years has been, by most accounts, away from Europe and democracy. Many Western analysts are concerned with how these elections will be conducted. The manner in which the Rada elections take place and their outcome will have an impact on the country’s relationship with the United States and Europe. Given that Ukraine will assume the position of chairman-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) next year, the elections may have broader Euro-Atlantic implications as well.

The campaign is primarily between four contestants: the Party of Regions (PRU), which currently dominates both the parliament and the executive; a united opposition that consists of several parties, the largest among them- Batkivshchyna (Fatherland), led by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko; the Communists (PRU’s main allies); and the UDAR, led by boxing champion Vitaly Klitchko.

The discussants focused on the electorate, the campaign, the context in which the election takes place, and what to expect.

Listen to a recording of this event. [2]

A discussion with:

• David J. Kramer, president, Freedom House
• Stephen B. Nix, regional director, Eurasia, International Republican Institute (IRI)
• Laura Jewett, regional director, Eurasia, NDI
• Eugeniusz Smolar, foreign policy analyst, Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) [via Skype]
• Viorel Ursu, senior policy analyst for Eastern Europe, Open Society Institute
• Moderated by Ross Wilson, director, Patriciu Eurasia Center, Atlantic Council