Ukraine's record presidential field and its constitutional course, February 2019
A look back at what had been reported by 13 February 2019, as the presidential race took shape and the constitution set a course towards the EU and NATO.
What did the political landscape in Ukraine look like on 13 February 2019? Two developments from the preceding days framed it: a record field of presidential candidates and a constitutional change on foreign policy.
On 8 February 2019, the Central Election Commission completed registration for the presidential election. It registered 44 candidates, a number described at the time as a record for Ukraine.
A day earlier, on 7 February 2019, the Verkhovna Rada adopted amendments to the Constitution. They enshrined the country's course towards full membership of the European Union and NATO.
Together, the two events set the backdrop for the days around 13 February 2019: a presidential contest with an unusually large list of names, and a constitutional text that now spelled out the country's strategic direction.
