Ukrainians, Costa Ricans elect respective presidents

Wednesday, 10 February 2010 04:22 PM Merck Maguddayao

Elections in Costa Rica and Ukraine ended last Monday (Philippine time), a few months before the Philippine national polls.

Incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych of the “pro-Russia” Party of Regions emerged victorious in the presidential elections in Ukraine, a former Soviet Union state. According to Montreal Gazette Online, Yanukovich took 48 percent of the total votes while rival Yulia Tymoshenko of the “pro-European Union” All-Ukrainian Union “Fatherland” party tool 45.5 percent of the votes.

Though foreign observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said that the Ukrainian elections was “an impressive display of democratic elections,” Tymoshenko declared that she “will never acknowledge the legitimacy of the victory of Yanukovych with such elections” and that she will challenge the results to court.

Tymoshenko was a leading figure in the successful Orange Revolution of 2004 which nullified Yanukovych's win as President due to electoral fraud which was affirmed by the Ukrainian Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ordered a revote wherein Tymoshenko's party-mate Viktor Yuschenko was elected as President. Ukraine is currently not a member of the European Union.

Costa Rica elects first woman president

In Central America, incumbent Costa Rican vice-president Laura Chinchilla of the social democratic-leaning National Liberation Party won a landslide victory in the presidential elections against eight other candidates.

Chinchilla won 46.8 percent of the total votes, besting nearest rival Otton Solis of the liberal Citizens' Action Party, who garnered 25.2 percent. With her victory, Chinchilla became the first woman President of Costa Rica and succeeded incumbent President and party-mate Oscar Arias.

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