Around 25% of Ukrainians want Zelensky to stay president after war, poll shows
Only 25% of Ukrainians believe President Volodymyr Zelensky should remain in office after the end of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) published on Oct. 13.
This result contrasts with the relatively high level of trust he continues to enjoy among the public, according to the same poll.
When asked, 41% of respondents said Zelensky should stay in politics, with one-quarter of them wanting him to be re-elected.
Meanwhile, 36% believe Zelensky should leave politics after the war, and another 14% think he should face criminal prosecution, the survey showed.
According to Ukraine's constitution, the next election is possible only after the end of martial law, which was declared at the outbreak of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Zelensky has said that he will not seek re-election after the war is over.
According to the poll, the share of those who support Zelensky being in a top position is not the same as his electoral rating.
"During elections, people choose between specific participants, so the composition of the candidates may determine the decision for whom to vote," the survey read.
The poll showed that 60% of Ukrainians currently trust Zelensky, while 35% do not.
This marks a slight increase in trust compared to early September and August, when Zelensky's support dipped after the president's team attempted to undermine the independence of the chief anti-corruption institutions.
Among Ukrainians who do not trust Zelensky, support for his continued presidency after the war is minimal — just 3% and 2% respectively.
Most in this group — 57% — say he should face criminal charges, while 60% of those with partial distrust believe he should step away from politics, according to the poll.
When Zelensky came to power after the 2019 presidential and parliamentary elections, 80% of Ukrainians trusted him, but the number dropped to 37% by February 2022. The level of trust skyrocketed to 90 % when Russia's full-scale invasion started.
The latest survey, carried out between Sept. 19 and Oct. 5, used a representative sample of 1,008 adults from all regions of Ukraine, excluding areas under Russian occupation.
