2014 Donbas general elections
The 2014 Donbas general elections were held on 2 November 2014 by the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, which were at that time both members of the now defunct Novorossiya confederation.[1]
As a result of a
Neither the
In Ukraine as a whole, following the
Background
Donetsk People's Republic
Elections of
Candidates and political parties
Three candidates vied for the position of DPR chief. These were
Campaign
DPR chief candidate and incumbent DPR prime minister
Across DPR territory, billboards were plastered with messages in support of Zakharchenko.[8] Posters in support of Zakharchenko read "Vote for life!", and pictured doves and children.[9] According to The New York Times, these billboards suggested "a tight race between Aleksandr Zakharchenko and Aleksandr Zakharchenko".[8] Other candidates did not use billboards or posters, and were generally unknown to voters.[16] DPR chief candidate Yuri Sivokonenko said "I didn't ask people to vote for me, because I don't have any differences in principle with Zakharchenko".[8]
Opinion polls
A poll conducted by the
With regard to the parliamentary elections, a survey by the
Results
Roman Lyagin, head of the DPR central election commission, announced the results of the election on 3 November.[citation needed]
Chief executive elections (DPR)
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Donetsk Republic | 765,340 | 78.93 | ||
Alexander Kofman | Independent | 111,024 | 11.45 | |
Yuri Sivokonenko | Free Donbas | 93,280 | 9.62 | |
Total | 969,644 | 100.00 | ||
Valid votes | 969,644 | 95.75 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 43,038 | 4.25 | ||
Total votes | 1,012,682 | 100.00 | ||
Source: Donetsk People's Republic[19] (Ukrayinska Pravda[20]) |
Parliamentary elections (DPR)
Party | Votes | % | Seats | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Donetsk Republic | 662,752 | 68.35 | 68 | |
Free Donbas | 306,892 | 31.65 | 32 | |
Total | 969,644 | 100.00 | 100 | |
Valid votes | 969,644 | 95.75 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 43,038 | 4.25 | ||
Total votes | 1,012,682 | 100.00 | ||
Source: Donetsk People's Republic[19] (Ukrayinska Pravda[20]) |
Luhansk People's Republic
Elections to the Supreme Soviet of the Luhansk People's Republic, along with elections for chief of the LPR, took place on 3 November 2014. In the LPR, residents that were of eighteen years of age were allowed to vote at more than 100 polling places.[21] Five polling places were opened at Donbas refugee camps in Russia. A central election commission was created to organise the election, led by Sergei Kozyakov. He stated on 31 October that early voting turnout at mobile polling stations ranged from 90% to "not enough ballots".[22] The commission refused to register multiple parties and candidates on technical grounds, and one of these refusals led to violent clashes that left three people injured.[15]
Candidates and political parties
Four candidates vied for the position of LPR chief. These were incumbent LPR prime minister
Results
According to LPR central election commission head Sergei Kozyakov, voter turnout was greater than 60 percent.[citation needed] He said that more than 630,000 people had cast ballots in the elections. Results of the election were announced by him on 3 November 2014.[23]
Chief executive elections (LPR)
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Peace for Lugansk Region | 63.08 | |||
Oleg Akimov | Luhansk Economic Union | 15.12 | ||
Viktor Penner | Luhansk Economic Union | 10.08 | ||
Larisa Airapetyan | 7.28 | |||
Total | ||||
Source: Luhansk People's Republic[23] |
Parliamentary elections (LPR)
Party | Votes | % | Seats | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Peace for Lugansk Region | 69.42 | 35 | ||
Luhansk Economic Union | 22.23 | 15 | ||
People's Union | 3.85 | 0 | ||
Total | 50 | |||
Source: Luhansk People's Republic[23] |
Legitimacy
According to the text of the
Foreign observers
The Donetsk People's Republic central election commission said that 50 foreign observers monitored the elections. Most of these observers were far-right politicians and activists, and were said to come from
Reactions
- Donetsk People's Republic – Head of the DPR election commission Roman Lyagin said "Kiev has to come to terms with the idea that Donbas is not part of Ukraine...whether they will recognise the result of our vote or not is Kiev's problem".[28]
- Russia – In response to the elections, Russian deputy foreign minister Grigory Karasin said "The elected representatives of Donetsk and Luhansk regions obtained a mandate to hold negotiations with central Ukrainian authorities to solve problems ... via a political dialogue".[28] Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov maintained on 5 December that the elections were "exactly within the range in which they had been negotiated in Minsk".[29]
- Minsk Protocol.[30] He said that Ukraine would never recognise either of the breakaway republics. President Petro Poroshenko said that his country is rearming and deploying new units to the country's east to oppose any attempt by pro-Russian rebels to take over more territory. Ukrainian security officials claimed that Russia has intensified the transfer of troops and military equipment to separatist rebels.[31] Poroshenko said he would ask parliament to suspend a law that would give the breakaway regions a "special status".[32]
See also
- 2014 Donbas status referendums
- 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election
- 2018 Donbas general elections
- 1991 Transcarpathian general regional referendum
References
- ^ Russian News Agency "TASS"(11 October 2014)
- ^ a b "Russia Backs Plan by Ukraine Separatists for an Early Election". The New York Times. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- ^ "EU not to recognize elections organized by DPR and LPR". Interfax-Ukraine. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ "PACE president condemns decision to hold 'elections' in DPR, LPR – statement". Interfax-Ukraine. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b "Ukraine urges Russia to stop separatist elections". USA Today. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b Ukraine crisis: Russia to recognise rebel vote in Donetsk and Luhansk, BBC News (28 October 2014)
- ^ "Russia Respects, But Does Not Necessarily Recognize Donetsk, Luhansk Elections: Kremlin". RIA Novosti. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f "Rebel-Backed Elections to Cement Status Quo in Ukraine". The New York Times. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f "East Ukraine separatists hold vote to gain legitimacy, promise normalcy". Reuters. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b "Ukraine rebels lure voters to polls - with root vegetables". The Daily Telegraph. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- ^ "Russia calls for talks with Kyiv after separatist elections". The Guardian. 3 November 2014.
- ^ "Eastern Ukraine's Fake State Is About to Elect a Fake Prime Minister". Foreign Policy. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ "Communist Party created in Donetsk People's Republic". TASS. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "Дадут ли Новороссии сделать выбор?" [Will New Russia (be) allowed to make a choice?]. Moskovskij Komsomolets. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b c "A prelude to a farce: Prearranged ballots for Kremlin-backed breakaway regions". Kyiv Post. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "Donetsk People's Republic campaign reveals shambolic tendencies". Financial Times. 23 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b "Что ждать от выборов ДНР и ЛНР 2 ноября" [What to expect from the DPR and LPR elections on November 2]. sobesednik.ru (in Russian). 28 October 2014.
- ^ Information Telegraph Agency of Russia(in Russian). 28 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b "DNR CEC announced the final figures of the election results on 2 November" (Press release) (in Russian). Donetsk People's Republic. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Донецькі бойовики за ніч порахували голоси: "переміг" Захарченко" [Donetsk militants counted votes for the night: Zakharchenko "won"]. www.pravda.com.ua.
- ^ "Polling stations open in Luhansk People's Republic and Donetsk People's Republic". TASS. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- TASS. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b c На выборах в ЛНР большинство голосов набрали Игорь Плотницкий и общественное движение 'Мир Луганщине' [In the LPR elections, the majority of votes went to Igor Plotnitsky and the social movement 'Peace for Lugansk Region'] (Press release) (in Russian). Lugansk People's Republic. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Eastern Ukraine's Fake State Is About to Elect a Fake Prime Minister". Foreign Policy. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ "So-called elections not in line with Minsk Protocol, says OSCE Chair, calling for enhanced efforts and dialogue to implement all commitments" (Press release). Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
- ^ a b Allison Quinn (6 November 2014). "The Faces Behind Ukraine's Rebel Election Observer Mission". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b "Russia calls for talks with Kiev after separatist elections". The Guardian. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- ^ "Too early to discuss broader monitoring of Ukraine-Russia border - Lavrov". Interfax-Ukraine. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ "President Poroshenko in talks over rebel polls". BBC News. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- ^ Agencies (5 November 2014). "Ukraine to stop cash support for east". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ Richard Balmforth and Thomas Grove (5 November 2014). "Ukraine peace plan in tatters, 'frozen conflict' takes shape". Reuters. Retrieved 26 December 2014.