The first round of the presidential elections in Ukraine won by the comedian Volodymyr Selenskyj. Experts will explore the question of whether the TV-series “servants of the people” is the sole reason for its success.
For whom 30 percent of Ukrainians in the first round of the presidential elections on October 31. March voted because really: for the political Newcomer Volodymyr Selenskyj or for Vasyl Holoborodko, the protagonists of the Comedy series “servants of the people”? Selenskyj plays in the series, the history teacher Holoborodko, the elected President and against the established power structure going on in the country. The fact is that Selenskyj used in the election campaign, the Image of the TV-heroes, as he would want the electorate to say: “Holoborodko I am.”
An image from the series – Selenskyj in his role as Holoborodko, with a briefcase under his Arm – on the website of the candidate. The same photo used on his Team is also on Facebook. “Servants of the people” on the promotional material of the show Mans. It remains unclear whether the TV series or by the same party that was founded in 2017 and Selenskyj as the top candidate. The series itself – the first season ran in the fall of 2015 – has been repeated just before the elections in the Ukrainian private channel “1+1”. And the latest, the third season, a few days before the first round of the presidential elections.
The election program of the presidential candidate, Volodymyr Selenskyj
From TV reality
On the question of the DW, how the TV series has contributed to Selenskyjs success, announced Volodymyr Paniotto from the Kiev International Institute of sociology (KIIS) as an example, the Danish series “Borgen – Hazardous cliques”. She ran for the first time in 2010 in Denmark, and is also of intrigue and power play in politics. In the center of a politician who is unexpectedly elected the first female Prime Minister of Denmark. A year later, a woman, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, first female head of government of the country was actually. “In fact, reality was what happened in the series; the people were prepared for it,” said Paniotto.
According to him, both the Image of Holoborodko, as well as the have played of Selenskyj personally in the electoral success of a role – the dream could be honest in the Ukraine, a simple, if not a qualified man is President. Paniotto also sees other factors for Selenskyjs success.
“Opposition against the Establishment”
In a survey conducted before the elections, the KIIS found out why so many Ukrainians for Selenskyj. 54 percent of the respondents said: “Because he belongs to the established System, and a new face in politics.” Only six percent said Selenskyj liked you in the role of President, which he plays in the series. Paniotto said, this show that the series help the Showman, but not a decisive factor for its success. You must take into account, so Paniotto, everything that has produced Selenskyjs company “Studio quarter-95” in the last 15 years, including leading Satire Show in the Ukraine. “His Team, which is familiar in the policy, apparently, very well, making it constantly about politicians are funny,” says Paniotto and adds, Selenskyj have that effect on its viewers at all incompetent.
The man behind Zelenskyj: The Ukrainian Oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyj on an Anti-Zelenskyj poster in the election campaign
Also Andriy Bytschenko by Kiev’s Razumkov research center, believes that the TV series “servants of the people” Selenskyjs election result has decisively influenced. “There are between the series and other productions of the quarter-95 synergy effects, which strengthen each other”, so Bytschenko. In his opinion Selenskyj became at some point “the epitome of an Opposition against the Establishment”. Quarter-95 is power in the Ukraine is almost the only source of criticism of the state “from the point of view of the people”. “This has helped Selenskyj ultimately,” Bytschenko.
Range Rover instead of the bike
Diana Duzyk, media expert at the Ukrainian Institute of media and communication, don’t you think, Selenskyjs success together, just hang out with the TV series “servants of the people”. “Over many years, the first quarter was shaped-95, a whole Generation of Ukrainians who learned about politics from the Shows of the production company,” said Duzyk. The usually apolitical people who would watch entertainment shows.
Duzyk, an Element of Selensykjs campaign, the “Primitive of the policy”. The President will travel in the TV series “servants of the people” with the bike to work. “This is a primitive idea”, says the expert. The true Selenskyj never drive bike, but an expensive Range Rover velvet Bodyguards. “Should he become President, he will not require on a bike,” said Duzyk.
She is convinced that the broadcasting of the series “servants of the people” in the run-up to the elections “part of the election campaign”, but in a “grey zone” of the Ukrainian legislation. In your opinion, the laws should be changed after the elections, taking into account the Selenskyjs campaign.