Poroshenko polls 54.7% of votes at presidential election after 100% of ballots processed

Political 29 May, 2014 14:21

The Central Election Committee of Ukraine has processed 100% of the electronic ballots. Upon the results, Petro Poroshenko has polled 54.7% of votes. Parliament-appointed interim President of Ukraine and Verkhovna Rada Speaker Oleksandr Turchynov said this at a parliament’s session on Thursday.

“After processing 100% of ballots, the Central Election Committee of Ukraine has reported that 54.7% of voters supported Poroshenko. We are expecting the final results of the elections from the Central Election Committee,” Turchynov said.

Snap presidential election took place in Ukraine May 25. On the next day, Head of Ukraine’s Central Election Committee Mykhailo Okhendovsky excluded the probability of the second round of presidential election in Ukraine. “Even now we can make a quite important conclusion. There is no need in second round of balloting, May 25, 2014, the president of Ukraine has been elected,” Okhendovsky said. He added that Petro Poroshenko won the race.

The election committee’s head also specified that Poroshenko would pay the first international visit to Warsaw scheduled for early June either in the status of a nominee or as a newly elected president.

PETRO POROSHENKO’S BIOGRAPHY

Petro Poroshenko was born September 26, 1965, in the Odessa region. He has graduated from the Kiev University with a degree in economics from the faculty of international relations and international law.

In the 1990s, he engaged in business and headed the Ukrprominvest consortium. In 2000, he set up and chaired the Solidarity party. After the victory of the ‘orange revolution’, in 2005 he was appointed Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and in 2007 — head of Ukraine’s National Bank. In 2009-2010 he was minister of foreign affairs, in 2012 he became minister of trade and economic development. Since December 2012, Petro Poroshenko is Verkhovna Rada deputy and member of the committee on European integration. He owns the Roshen consortium, the largest confectionery manufacturer in Ukraine. He ranks 7th in the Forbes list of richest people in Ukraine.

How presidential elections are held in Ukraine

Under the provisions of the law, Ukraine's presidential election is held in two rounds. If in the first round one of candidates scores more than 50% of the vote, he is recognized as winner.According to the electoral legislation, irrespective of how many people go to the polls, elections would be reckoned valid. Therefore, the voter turnout is of no importance. CEC preliminary data have it that voter turnout at Sunday's early presidential elections was 60.76%.

The CEC is to announce official results of the first round of elections not later than June 4.