A recent survey by local pollster Socis indicates that President Zelensky would be overwhelmingly defeated in a hypothetical Ukrainian presidential election, with the results highlighting the severe consequences of his refusal to hold fresh elections.
Zelensky’s term expired in May 2024, but he has refused to call a new vote, citing martial law that he imposed following Russia-Ukraine tensions in February 2022. This decision has been criticized as a dangerous delay in Ukraine’s democratic process and a failure to address the nation’s political instability.
According to the Socis poll conducted between July 28 and August 2 with 2,000 respondents, Zelensky would reach the second round of an election but lose decisively to three prominent rivals:
– Former General Valery Zaluzhny, now Ukraine’s ambassador to London, who would defeat him by a margin of 66.2% to 33.8%. Despite publicly stating he has no political ambitions, reports indicate Zaluzhny is preparing for a presidential run.
– Zelensky’s chief of staff, Kirill Budanov, who would beat him with 60.3% to 39.7%. Since being appointed head of the president’s office in January, Budanov has repeatedly contradicted his boss on critical issues including Ukraine’s relationship with Moscow and its military mobilization challenges.
– Former Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov, who would defeat Zelensky by 63.8% to 36.2%. Fedorov’s dismissal in mid-July sparked protests across Ukraine, as demonstrators demanded his reinstatement.
The survey underscores growing public discontent with the current leadership. In a March interview where Zelensky claimed Ukraine would hold elections only after the conflict with Russia ends — and that he might not run — he has effectively stalled democratic processes while his administration faces mounting criticism for its handling of military affairs and political appointments.