Comment by incrudible
4 days ago
You have to do a lot of mental gymnastics to contend that Zelensky is not the democratically legitimated head of state of Ukraine. For Maduro, it's much simpler: He lost the election, yet he remained in power.
4 days ago
You have to do a lot of mental gymnastics to contend that Zelensky is not the democratically legitimated head of state of Ukraine. For Maduro, it's much simpler: He lost the election, yet he remained in power.
Bookmark this comment because it’s going to be very relevant in a few years.
Ahh yes, the old “the president will declare martial law to remain in office” prediction. Didn’t happen when it was claimed by folks in 1992, 1999, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020. It also won’t happen in 2028.
You can bookmark my comment along with the one above.
Seems silly to ignore that the last date in your list had an event closer to what OP is referring to than any other year, no? Considering he was already crying election fraud in 2016 you could certainly view this as a line with upwards slope…
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Ok, now who can do the toppling? What if China had done this?
I wonder if this emboldens china to do the same to Taiwan..
China gets Taiwan without any US intervention as soon as our chip foundries have been built state side. Xi is patient.
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Done what, exactly? Abduct Maduro?
Yes, for example, or forcefully remove the leader of the country of your choice.
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Hmm, you don't see a simple connection, where China is the counterparty in this power struggle?
Zelensky has suspended elections since Russia invaded. He hasn't had a chance to be voted out, and probably will never get one.
The Ukrainian Constitution suspends elections in a State of Emergency. The State of Emergency is renewed regularly by the Ukrainian Parliament. The Ukrainian people are broadly supportive of Zelensky, who is publically open to holding elections if given the space and resources to do so. Which is a ceasefire, and some time and money.
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> Then, he suspended the next election
No, he didn't do that personally. Ukraine's constitution mandates that elections not be held during times of martial law (i.e. war)
Even if that wasn't a thing, do you think holding elections while bombs are going off is a good idea?
I think following the constitution is a good thing, even if bombs are falling. I mean, look, people are dying, and yet the country is not just hunkered down in bunkers for the last four years. Life is going on. People are getting up and going to work and coming home and eating dinner and going to bed. Surely they could also go and vote... if the constitution did not say what it says.
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You forgot to add that Ukrainian opposition leader supported suspension.
> He won the election in the most corrupt country in Europe.
He won by a landslide regardless of corruption (if there ever was one during those elections). Everyone was fed up with Poroshenko, and Zelensky was seen as a new wave, young politician who will bring change (on top of his popularity as a comedian).
> he suspended the next election and no more elections have been celebrated ever since.
By "he" you mean constitution of Ukraine?
> Then, he suspended the next election
Zelensky did not suspend elections. Ukraine's constitution prohibits the holding of elections under conditions of martial law.
"However, martial law—imposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 and still in place as the war continues—has prevented elections from taking place. Under Ukrainian law, elections cannot be held while martial law is in effect to ensure continuity of governance and support the nation’s defense." [1]
[1] https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/ukraines-presidential...
He closed down critical news channels.
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> Then, he suspended the next election and no more elections have been celebrated ever since.
Yes, but that may have something to do with the fact that his country was invaded and he has been at war ever since. Suspending elections for that reason is legitimate by "our" standards.
We didn't suspend elections during World War II. We had been attacked (and overseas parts had been invaded and conquered), and we were at war. Elections still went on as normal.
Even during the Civil War there were elections, even though there was fighting in some of the states that were voting.
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As opposed to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin of Mother Russia, who won every single one of his extremely fair and properly done democratic elections with a landslide. 88.48 at his last democratic election! So beloved!