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THE ELECTORAL PHENOMENON OF SHIFTING CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS OF UKRAINE'S FOREIGN POLICY: A CASE STUDY OF THE 2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Author (s)

Lyabakh A.Y.

Abstract

The article presents the results of an analysis of the election platforms of candidates for the 2019 Ukrainian presidential elections. The presidential elections are seen as a stage for adjusting foreign policy and an opportunity to change the vector of Ukraine's policy, resolve the conflict in Donbas, and change the political position regarding Crimea. By applying the method of content analysis and calculating the multiple linear correlation coefficient, the degree of similarity of election programs is revealed and, as a consequence, the polarization of the political field in Ukraine is reduced. Also, by using comparative analysis and research into the content of election programs, the change in the conceptual foundations of Ukraine’s foreign policy is revealed through an analysis of the electoral process. The study revealed that the overwhelming majority of Ukrainian presidential candidates use similar messages in their election platforms, indicating a decline in the polarization of Ukraine's political landscape. It was also revealed that none of the candidates put forward theses in support of the south-east of Ukraine or Donbas.

Keywords

foreign policy of Ukraine, presidential elections, Donbas, Crimea, content analysis, conceptual foundations, multiple correlation coefficients, election program, comparative analysis, electoral process

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