/whoosh for me. Did Z actually say that or is this just memeing? Genuine question, I see your work around here and I’m quite impressed. I’m a recent convert and I’m finding search engines have issues finding some sources lol.
There has been wide spread suppression and outright banning of opposition parties and even moderately dissenting voices since the 2014 coup. It has only accelerated since the conflict heated up last year.
Zelensky doesn’t have to come and outright say there are no elections or opposition for it to be the obvious case, as the meme is making fun of. To describe the post coup Ukraine government as democratic is just strictly laughable.
But also he did say elections would be postponed to after the war
I don’t believe he actually said that. Ukraine has suspended elections for the duration of the war. This is not necessarily a problem, and there is historical precedent for it in other democratic countries like Britain during World War Two. It will become a problem if elections are not reinstated after the war or if the war drags out for a very long time. Other than that this is just a weird way to frame a mostly non-issue.
Using Britain as your example is probably not the best look. However, it will be a problem even if elections are reinstated because he already banned opposition parties.
This way he can “reinstate elections” and be praised as a pioneer of democracy without any real risk to himself because all his political opponents are already outlawed.
Of course, that is all under the assumption he would still be in power after the war.
EDIT: Also, how long is “the duration of the war”. Until a ceasefire? Until one side surrenders? Zelensky would probably say until the unconditional surrender of Russia, an event that is never going to happen.
