Comment on War-scarred Ukraine votes for pro-Western future

War-scarred Ukraine votes for pro-Western future

Kiev (AFP) - War-weary Ukrainians vote Sunday for a powerful new parliament in which a likely alliance of pro-Western and nationalist forces will confirm the ex-Soviet country's historic but bloody break from Russia's domain.The snap general election is also expected to reveal the level of trust in President Petro Poroshenko's bid to hold on to the separatist east through talks with pro-Russian rebels and their alleged puppet masters in the Kremlin.But the trauma of the nearly bankrupt state's loss to Russia of Crimea and the subsequent deaths of 3,700 people in six months of warfare in the east has set a grim backdrop to a vote meant to celebrate last winter's pro-democracy street revolt.Three days of carnage in Kiev that claimed the lives of more than 100 demonstrators in February were followed by the flight to Russia of Moscow-backed president Viktor Yanukovych and the start of the most intense East-West standoff since the Cold War.May presidential election victor Poroshenko -- an affable chocolate baron who sees Ukraine's European future guaranteed by a US security pledge -- then called an early parliamentary vote to sweep out the last remnants of the old regime.Voters will primarily be passing judgement on a hotly disputed truce deal Poroshenko struck with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September after a string of battlefield defeats."No criticism, no matter how acute and painful, will stop me from finding a peaceful way out of the current situation," Poroshenko stressed on the eve of the vote.But fears that Poroshenko is effectively caving into the Kremlin by offering rebels limited self-rule in return for peace have spurred the hopes of nationalist parties that reject talks with Russia.- Nationalist resurgence-The new parliament will have broad new powers that include the right to name the prime minister and most of his cabinet.Poroshenko's party is expected to come in first but fall short of a majority and be forced into a coalition with nationalists.

 

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