The Centre for Innovations Development joins the statement of Ukrainian civil society organisations on the impossibility of holding democratic elections without sustainable peace.
Democracy in times of war must be even more protected than in peacetime, because the cost of a mistake or loss of trust is extremely high. The energy of friends and partners should be channelled into systematic work to ensure that the end result of a genuine expression of will in a secure future reflects exclusively the political will of the Ukrainian people. Just as there are no different international standards for peaceful and post-conflict elections, there is no other measure of democracy than the real access of citizens to govern their state through their representatives, legally elected in free and fair elections by secret ballot, free from intimidation and threats. It is Russia that is making it impossible to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine by committing an unprovoked act of aggression against a sovereign state. This country is not a democracy: there is no opposition, no media, no minimum rights and freedoms and no political pluralism. Instead, the Ukrainian consensus on elections no earlier than six months after the end of martial law is supported by the government, the opposition, and society. The legitimacy of the Ukrainian government is the exclusive prerogative of the Ukrainian people.
Any peace process should take into account the voice of Ukraine and a logical sequence of actions to restore electoral cycles: 1) a sustainable ceasefire under the security guarantees of the guarantor countries; 2) preparations for elections and restoration of the relevant infrastructure; 3) holding elections after sustainable peace is achieved, martial law is lifted and the war is settled by international law.
Elections in the next six months do not correspond to security realities, the political and economic situation, or public sentiment in Ukraine. As of February 2025, 69% of Ukrainians believed that Volodymyr Zelenskyy should remain President until the end of martial law without holding elections. This is a real proof of unity in society and respect for the military, which is currently defending Ukraine and cannot fully participate in the political process.
Obviously, from the point of view of the Constitution and legislation, holding elections during martial law is prohibited, and the government continues to legitimately and uninterruptedly exercise its powers during this period .
One of the main challenges to holding elections in Ukraine without sustainable peace is the lack of proper legal mechanisms for organising them and ensuring voter participation. The development of these mechanisms should take into account the consequences of the aggression. In addition to establishing the necessary legal framework for post-war elections, let alone wartime elections, Ukraine needs to ensure that millions of citizens, including those who are forced to stay abroad, internally displaced persons who have fled their homes due to the destruction of settlements, and military personnel defending the country, can vote.
In turn, democratic conditions must be created for the proper conduct of elections, including the possibility of free activity of the media, political parties, and civil society organisations, and the search for parliamentary consensus on the rules. Therefore, additional time is needed for the transformational transition between the legal regime of martial law and the election campaign.
Elections are about the freedom to form political will and the preparation and organisation of voting. Equally important are the day-to-day tasks that are of critical importance in a post-war environment: the work of election commissions, secure voting facilities, information systems protected from cyberattacks, and the transparency and security of the process as a whole.
The unstable security situation, the threat of shelling, terrorist attacks and sabotage, as well as large-scale mining of territories, create significant obstacles at all stages of the electoral process: from the delivery of ballots to polling stations to the possibility of proper observation of electoral procedures, from campaigning to potentially low voter turnout due to security threats. The fundamental principles of equal and universal suffrage could be at risk. The very idea of holding elections in an environment where candidates and voters could be targeted by missiles and drones is contrary to human rights principles.
The biggest challenge for electoral democracy in Ukraine will be interference in this process by Russia, which will be ready to use any means to do so – from cyberattacks to direct bribery of voters, from spreading disinformation and dividing society with it to discrediting candidates “unacceptable” to the Russian authorities and financing the campaigns of loyal politicians. Ukraine – both the state and society – must prepare for such interference in order to preserve the sovereignty, democracy and freedom that Ukrainians defend on the battlefield. This requires sufficient time, an independent risk audit, and a significant strengthening of the mechanisms for countering illegal interference in elections.
Undoubtedly, elections in Ukraine should take place – but only after the war is over and sustainable peace is achieved, and security and other conditions are in place to allow for free, fair, democratic and accessible elections. Ukraine has never refused to hold elections , but organising them takes time and resources, not demands.
We would sincerely appreciate it if the leaders of the free world would invest energy and resources in guaranteeing security for Ukraine and preparing for the first post-war elections as a matter of priority. This will help ensure that they are held as soon as possible in accordance with international standards.
To sign the statement, please follow the link.
THE STATEMENT WAS SIGNED BY
Centre for Innovation Development
Reanimation Package of Reforms Coalition
Vostok-SOS Charitable Foundation
Detector Media
Association of Public Advisers of Ukraine
Institute of civil society
Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting
Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation
Institute of Regional Press Development
Committee of Voters of Ukraine
NGO “EasyBusiness”
ICF “Ukrainian Foundation for Public Health”
Plast
NGO “Together Against Corruption”
Ukrainian Independent Centre for Political Studies
Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation
New Europe Centre
Centre for Civic Representation “Life”
Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law
Centre for Liberation Movement Studies
Centre of Policy and Legal Reform
Centre for Political Studies and Analysis “Eidos”
NGO “Legal Hundred”
National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine
NGO “Parents for Vaccination”
School of Political Analysis
Institute Respublica
Centre for Economic Growth LRHub
NGO “Fight for Rights”
Civil network OPORA
Network for the Protection of National Interests ANTS
Centre of Policy and Legal Reform
Anti-Corruption Action Centre
NGO “Public holding “GROUP OF INFLUENCE”
International Renaissance Foundation
International Centre of Ukrainian Victory (ICUV)
Frontier Institute
Initiative group “First of December”
UkraineWorld
ZMINA Human Rights Centre
Movement CHESNO
Institute of Mass Information (IMI)
Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO)
Association of Women Lawyers of Ukraine “YurFem”
Ukrainian Centre for European Policy
Digital Security Lab
Centre for Global Studies “Strategy XXI”
Kyiv School of Economics
Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group
NGO “Donbas SOS”
NGO European Pravda
Struggle for rights
All-Ukrainian human rights organisation “Legal Hundred”
Ukrainian independent centre for political research
NGO Lviv Media Forum
Ukrainian Bar Association
Ukrainian Women’s Fund
NGO Decolonisation
NGO “All-Ukrainian Association of Persons with Disabilities “Active Rehabilitation Group”
NGO “Women in Media”
NGO “League of the Strong”
NGO “Ukrainian Volunteer Service”
Public Diplomacy Platform
NGO “Diy-Kramatorsk”
Association of Jewish Organisations and Communities of Ukraine
Youth NGO “Molodvizh”
NGO “Women’s Anti-Corruption Movement”
Zarvanytsia Public Initiative
NGO “Social Synergy”
Council of IDPs
Lviv Open Lab NGO
Movement “Space of Freedom”
NGO Centre for civic initiatives “Perspective”
NGO “Network of Responsible”
Anti-corruption centre MEZA
Expert group “Sova”
NGO “Eradum”
NGO “League of Social Workers of Ukraine”
NGO “Horizon of Changes”
Informal association “Youth movement”
NGO “Power of the Future”
NGO “Expert Corps”
NGO “Access Point”
Public union “Association of civil society organisations of Luhansk region”
Space Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Ukrainian Astronomical Association
International Charitable Organisation “Partnership “Every Child”
NGO Association of Public Advisers of Ukraine
NGO “Volyn Institute of Law”
NGO “It has come and gone”
NGO “Centre for Gender Culture”
NGO Union of large families
NGO “Ukrainian Union of Young Geographers”
NGO “Anti-Corruption Headquarters”
NGO “August Virlych Foundation”
Territorial Department of the Judicial Protection Service in Poltava region
NGO “Unitek Association”
NGO “Pharmatik”
ICF “Ukrainian Foundation for Public Health”
NGO Wild East
NGO “Together with everyone. Next to everyone”
NGO “Rohanski Bees”
NGO “Free because we are unbreakable”
NGO “Together with everyone! Next to everyone!”
CO Charitable Foundation “Step into a new life”
NGO “ECO-shell”
NGO “Centre for Equal Opportunities “Parity”
NGO “Another woman”
NGO Social Capital
CO Charitable Foundation for the Realisation of Ideas
Online media “First Kryvyi Rih/1KR.UA”
Media ground
NGO Public movement Faith, Hope, Love
NGO “FLOWERS OF VICTORY”
NGO “Volunteer Centre of Zaporizhzhia”
CSO “Motivational circle”
Council of IDPs at Poltava City Council
NGO “Women’s Hub 2.0”
NGO Grunska community development fund
NGO “Spilno Hub”
NGO “Development of Pryazovia”
NGO “Agency of Changes “For the time being”
Analytical Centre and NGO “Cultural Business Educational Hub”
Association of Energy Efficient Cities of Ukraine
Charitable organisation “Charitable Foundation “Sisters of the Heart”
NGO “Amadoka”
NGO Epiprosvita (EPI-Prosvita)
NGO Centre for Women’s Perspectives
“United for Action”
NGO “Ray of Hope Centre”
NGO “Prosto Production Media”
NGO “Family for people with disabilities”