Key facts
- 53% of Ukrainians think President Volodymyr Zelensky should not run for a second term, according to a KIIS poll.
- 42% of Ukrainians think Zelensky should participate in the next presidential election.
- Ukraine's constitution does not allow elections under martial law.
- 71% of Ukrainians oppose holding presidential elections during wartime.
- 45% of Ukrainians believe their country's affairs are moving in the wrong direction.
- 44% of Ukrainians feel disappointment about Zelensky's current government.
A poll published on Oct. 5 by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) indicates that 53% of Ukrainians believe President Volodymyr Zelensky should not seek a second term in office. The survey, conducted between Sept. 12 and 21 with 1,002 respondents in government-controlled territories, also found that 42% of Ukrainians support Zelensky running again, while 5% were undecided.
Ukraine's constitution currently prohibits elections while martial law is in effect, a measure imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The poll reflects a decline in support for Zelensky's re-election bid, with 59% favoring his second term in December 2023 and only 45% in December 2025.
The study emerges amid growing scrutiny of Zelensky's administration, including corruption allegations involving his inner circle and controversial personnel changes, such as the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Despite these challenges, Zelensky remains a leading candidate in hypothetical future elections, alongside Fedorov and former military chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Zelensky himself previously stated in September 2025 that he would not seek re-election after the war concludes, emphasizing that elections were not his primary goal. The KIIS survey further revealed that a significant majority, 71% of Ukrainians, oppose holding presidential elections during the ongoing conflict due to logistical challenges for military personnel, citizens abroad, and those near the front lines.
Additionally, the poll indicated a general sentiment of dissatisfaction with the country's direction, with 45% believing affairs are moving the wrong way and 40% thinking otherwise. A substantial portion of respondents, 44%, reported feeling "mostly disappointment" regarding Zelensky's current government, an increase from previous surveys, with 33% expressing shame. Anton Hrushetskyi, executive director of KIIS, noted a "significant demand in Ukrainian society for the renewal of political elites."