Ukraine's Orange Revolution                        

By Adrian Karatnycky, Adrian Karatnycky is Counselor and Senior Scholar at Freedom House.  

 

Summary: The electoral triumph of opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko and the victory of the Ukrainian people over their country's corrupt leadership represent a new landmark in the post communist history of eastern Europe, a seismic shift Westward in the geopolitics of the region. But what will come next for the new president--and the rest of the former Soviet Union?

 

 

ORANGE CRUSH

  1. What was the orange revolution? What had it signified?

 

THE WINDS OF CHANGE

  1. The election was deemed fraudulent because the corrupt regime’s favourite, Yanukovich had beaten the publicly favoured, Yushchenko. What was the dead giveaway?
  2. How did the government play a role in the election? What had they done to discourage the opposition?

 

RED-HANDED

  1. What facilitated the massive corruption in Ukraine?
  2. How much power did the oligarchic clans in Ukraine possess? Did they make a positive or negative contribution?

 

CHANGES

  1. Why had PM Yushchenko been forced out in May 2001, after just 18 months in office?

 

AWAKENING

  1. Where did the orange revolution come from? How had democratic values come into play?

 

FIGHT THE POWER

  1. Explain why Ukraine suddenly had three presidents.
  2. When Ukraine held elections for the third time, what ensured legitimacy?

 

FROM PROTESTS TO POLITICS

  1. What are the greatest challenges Yushchenko faces as president of the “New Ukraine”?
  2. Name the necessary reforms.

 

REACHING OUT

  1. With who is it most challenging for Ukraine to maintain a strong relationship?

 

TODAY, KIEV; TOMORROW...

  1. What has Ukraine’s victory over tyranny done for Europe?