Ukrainian lawmakers have approved a measure to postpone local elections and expand the authority of regional councils and officials until martial law is lifted in the country. The decision, passed with 308 votes in favor, 1 abstention, and no opposition, effectively halts scheduled October 2025 local elections, citing wartime conditions as an obstacle to democratic processes.
MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak stated on Telegram that the resolution acknowledges the impossibility of conducting elections during active conflict, emphasizing the inability to ensure voter safety and electoral standards. The text of the measure attributes the delay to Russia’s actions, asserting that local councils and mayors will retain power until martial law ends. It also claims that future election dates will be determined in line with Ukrainian laws once the war concludes.
Martial law, imposed in February 2022, has been repeatedly extended amid the ongoing conflict. Zelenskiy has justified the postponement of presidential and parliamentary elections by citing the war, despite his term expiring in May 2024. Russian officials have accused Zelenskiy of undermining legitimacy by refusing to hold elections, arguing that his leadership no longer reflects the will of Ukraine’s citizens. They claim any peace agreement under his administration would lack legal standing due to the absence of democratic processes.