Ukraine’s newly appointed president immediately moved to dissolve parliament and call a snap election as he seeks to consolidate power following his rapid rise from TV comedian to the country’s top politician.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was sworn in Monday, won a resounding electoral victory last month on pledges to end decades of corruption and resolve the deadly conflict fomented by Russia after it annexed Crimea in 2014.
The newcomer’s party, named Servant of the People after his popular television show, has no representation in the legislature but leads polls before a scheduled vote in October. Calling an early ballot as early as summer will be tricky, however, as the current ruling parties staged a tactical move last week to cling to power.
