Is Zelensky’s Legitimacy Really At Risk?

Volodymyr Zelensky’s five-year presidential term expires on May 20, 2024. When he was inaugurated, Zelensky promised to bring peace to Ukraine, to root out the corrupt elite, and to serve just one term as president. But time is a cruel and fickle master. Now Ukraine is embroiled in a full-scale war as it defends itself against Russian aggression; domestic politics is plagued by corruption; and Zelensky stands accused of seeking to usurp power. As it’s impossible to hold elections while martial law is in place , Zelensky will remain in power after his term expires. This creates an unexpected problem for Ukrainian democracy. The doubts about Zelensky remaining in his post after May 20 arise from the vagueness of Ukrainian law. While the constitution does not explicitly ban holding presidential elections under martial law, it also states that the president should continue to serve until a successor is elected (Article 108), and that presidential terms last five years (Article 103).