- Title: UKRAINE: Ukraine exit polls show rival camps neck and neck
- Date: 1st October 2007
- Summary: (BN15) KIEV, UKRAINE (SEPTEMBER 30, 2007) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SCENES) EXTERIOR OF UKRAINE'S NEWS AGENCY BUILDING WITH UKRAINIAN FLAG
- Embargoed: 16th October 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ukraine
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA1CKIZKSIVUKAWH3429RUFKJCI
- Story Text: A dead heat looked likely as Ukraine wrapped up its general election.
Ukraine's parliamentary election appeared to have produced a near dead-heat on Sunday (September 30) between a camp backing the ex-Soviet state's prime minister and rival "orange" groups supporting the president, exit polls showed.
The outcome was unlikely to produce an easy solution to the long deadlock between Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, back in power after losing out in the 2004 "Orange Revolution", and President Viktor Yushchenko, swept to power in that upheaval.
Two exit polls put Yanukovich's the, followed by the "orange"
group of ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko, with its ally, the pro-presidential Our Ukraine party, third.
The first official results were expected within hours.
Both camps made initial claims to have gained the upper hand even before official results became available. But with no clear overall winner likely to emerge, long tough talks will almost certainly be required to form a viable government.
A poll conducted by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation gave the prime minister's Regions Party 35.2 percent and its Communist allies a further 5.1 percent. In the "orange" camp, the bloc of ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko had 31.5 percent, far ahead of its pro-presidential ally Our Ukraine on 13.4 percent.
A second poll, conducted a group of Western and Ukrainian institutes, credited the Regions with 34.9 percent and the Communists with 4.5 percent.
Tymoshenko's bloc scored 32.4 percent and Our Ukraine had 14.1 percent.
Differences in orientation towards the West and Russia, key issues in 2004, were all but absent from the campaign. Yanukovich, backed then by Russia, now describes himself as pro-European and focuses mainly on steps to improve the living standards of voters earning on average $260 a month.
Also clearing the three percent barrier to win seats was the bloc of centrist former parliament speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn. Lytvyn, who once served as chief of staff to former president Leonid Kuchma, has not indicated which camp he would back.
The mood was positive at Tymoshenko's headquarters.
One of her lieutenants urged the president to start talks on a coalition immediately to avoid a repeat of the uncertainty last year that left Ukraine with no government for four months.
The pro-Western Yushchenko has been sharing power grudgingly with Yanukovich, who bounced back to become prime minister last year after the Regions Party took first place in that election.
The president has rejoined forces with Tymoshenko, who roused vast orange-clad crowds in the "Orange Revolution", sparked when an election was rigged to ensure Yanukovich became president.
Yanukovich's campaign has stressed stability and growth of 7.1 percent in the ex-Soviet state of 47 million last year.
Reforms and policy initiatives have stalled over the last year as president and prime minister bickered. Confusion was compounded by ill-defined changes to presidential powers.
Tymoshenko is almost certain to become prime minister if the Orange camp gains a majority. She was Yushchenko's first premier in 2005, but he sacked her amid infighting in her team.
Yanukovich has not ruled out a "grand coalition" between his Regions Party and Our Ukraine, a scenario favoured by several economic analysts that would shut Tymoshenko out of government.
The election was called by Yushchenko after he accused Yanukovich of an illegal power grab.
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