Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian from Ukraine has won the country’s presidential election by a huge margin.
According to a report by BBC, Zelensky, who has no political experience dominated the scene, receiving 73% of the counted votes. He defeated the incumbent president Petro Poroshenko.
The 41-year-old comedian is well known for starring in a political satirical drama called Servant of the People in which his character accidentally becomes the president of Ukraine.
Speaking to the media after his landslide win, he said:
“I will never let you down. I’m not yet officially the president. But as a citizen of Ukraine I can say to all countries in the post-Soviet Union: Look at us. Anything is possible!”
Zelensky’s victory is being viewed as a win against social injustice, corruption and a war with Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine that has claimed some 13,000 lives.
Soon after the poll results were announced, congratulatory messages started pouring in on Twitter.
A comedian with zero political experience was elected today as President of Ukraine in a massive landslide “as millions of voters weary of war and economic hardship rebuked the ruling elites.” He ran on a “anti-establishment, antiwar and reformist message” https://t.co/t0lOGH59J6
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 21, 2019
Fact of the Day: Popular comedian #VolodymyrZelensky is the new leader of Ukraine beating incumbent pres @poroshenko. “Zelensky win makes Ukraine 1st country outside Israel with Jewish PM & President.” #UkraineElections #Ukraine https://t.co/67kSEEJ63N
— George Thomas (@GTReporting) April 22, 2019
Congratulations to the new president of Ukraine former comedian
— MojoRising976 (@MojoRising976) April 22, 2019
Volodymyr Zelenskiy!!
..Hell somebody had to step up and give the people a real option for change other than more of the same…(decades of a government
stained putrid with a stench of deep seeded corruption.) pic.twitter.com/D8WfU4bSdA
I mean, comedians probably talk about politics more than politicians at this point so why not. https://t.co/lr8t7qXf3Y
— Whitney Cummings (@WhitneyCummings) April 22, 2019
Zelensky’s political campaign ditched the traditional methods and appealed to the voters through comedy and social media.
