In its new article dated 05/16/2024 The Economist decided to find out to what extent the current president of Ukraine, V. Zelensky, can consider himself legitimate after the end of his five-year term on May 20, 2024.
The article states that the key provision in the current determination of the legitimacy of the president of Ukraine is Article 108 of the Constitution, according to which «the president… exercises the powers until the newly elected president takes office.»
The authors of the publication note that Zelenskyi will remain in power as long as martial law is in effect, and that there is neither a political nor a legal crisis in Ukraine today.
The Economist notes that the Constitution of Ukraine was drafted with a possible Russian invasion in mind, and the deputies who were part of the constitutional commission were dissidents hardened by the Soviet Gulag. They understood that Russia would attack Ukraine. And this time has come.
As the publication notes, today in Ukrainian society there is a consensus around the legality of Zelenskyi’s presidency. The Ukrainian people understand that the presidential elections of Ukraine should take place only after the end of the Russian aggression.