New Wine in Old Bottle
Ukraine’s Political Elite
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Ukraine is facing a tremendous reform agenda. With the election of a new parliament in October and the formation of a coalition government – in addition to the presidential elections in May – the conditions to tackle this agenda are now in place. However, the political elite includes not only new, reform-oriented groups but also numerous influential forces which do not support a transparent, efficient form of politics based on the needs of the broader population rather than on special interests. The war in the Donbass region increases the risk that Ukraine will remain mired in the existing structures, although even in the absence of war a fundamental change in Ukrainian politics would be far from assured.
(Osteuropa 9-10/2014, pp. 169–178)