JRL NEWSWATCH: “What’s at Stake in Ukraine’s Presidential Election” – AP
“Awash in corruption, plagued by a war with Russia-backed separatists, reliant on international institutions for billions of dollars in aid, Ukraine presents stern challenges for its next president. Sunday’s election, which will require a second round if none of the 39 candidates wins an absolute majority, comes five years after mass protests drove the pro-Russia president to flee the country. The upheaval led to Russia annexing the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, to a separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 13,000 people and to economic decline. A look at some of the issues at stake as Ukraine chooses a new president: CORRUPTION … RUSSIA … QUALITY OF LIFE … ECONOMY … DEMOCRACY … the election will be a significant test of Ukraine’s commitment to orderly democracy, influencing both citizens’ trust in the authorities and international partners. The pre-election period has been increasingly messy. ….”