Comedian wins first round of Ukrainian election

Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who plays a fictional TV president, has won the first round of Ukraine’s presidential election.

Zelenskiy, who has no political experience, won the most votes in the first round of Ukraine’s presidential elections.

The comedian’s 30.4% of the vote is short of a majority but it was enough to beat the next best candidate with incumbent President Petro Poroshenko, getting 17.8% with former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko receiving 14.2% of the vote.

With none getting more than half of the votes, the election is to go to a second round on 21 April, where Ukrainians will choose between Zelenskiy and Poroshenko.

The two – who have expressed largely pro-EU opinions – are set to take part in a run-off election next month.

Via BBC