Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with the backing of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, declared that all opposition parties would be suspended indefinitely until martial law is declared over.
In a statement issued yesterday evening, President Zelenskyy announced the following decree: political parties who his party, “Servants of the People,” has identified as being pro-Russian would be suspended until the nation-wide martial law is lifted. The list essentially includes every opposition party.
With millions of their constituents now stripped of any political infrastructure, it’s safe to say that this is not the sort of action taken by a ‘democracy.’
Nor is it liberal. Sorry, Frum.
Among the suspended parties is the “Opposition Platform—For Life (OPFL),” Ukraine’s second-largest party in parliament. OPFL has been a stalwart defender of Ukraine’s sovereignty ever since the Russian invasion began. At the very start of the invasion, on February 24, OPFL expelled a member of their party for expressing support of the invasion. When martial law was declared and approved by parliament, not a single member of OPFL voted against the measure. Days later, OPFL supported a measure criminalizing collaboration with Russia. On March 7, they issued a statement calling for a ceasefire and complete withdrawal of all Russian troops.
To put this in perspective, OPFL has 43 seats in Ukraine’s parliament. They represent millions of citizens and are particularly favored in eastern Ukraine.
If a similar action were to happen in the United States, it would be as though Biden stripped Republicans of all political influence.
The following political parties were suspended: Opposition Platform—For Life, Shariy Party, Nashi, Opposition Bloc, Left Opposition, Union of Left Forces, State, Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, Socialist Party of Ukraine, Socialists, and Volodymyr Saldo Bloc.