The Ukraine presidential election will be held on May 25. The front runner is a recent entry, Petro Poroshenko, aka the Chocolate King. He hardly seems like the kind of candidate that Russia would approve of, given his western leanings. Can he win?
Petro Poroshenko (C) with his wife and son
[url=http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26822741]BBC News - Profile: Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine's 'chocolate king'[/u
Petro Poroshenko (C) with his wife and son
Entrepreneur Petro Poroshenko is seen as one of the front-runners for the Ukrainian presidency, and will be hoping to gain the support of those who see a European future for Ukraine.
He is an experienced MP, though currently unaffiliated to any of the country's political parties, and the only oligarch to have supported the pro-European opposition from the start.
The 48-year-old is known as "the chocolate king" for his ownership of Ukraine's largest confectionery manufacturer, Roshen.
He also owns 5 Kanal TV, the most popular news channel in Ukraine, which has shown clear pro-opposition sympathies during the political crisis. Forbes estimated his wealth at $1.6bn (£961m) in March 2013.
Suprising support
A poll published on 26 March showed 25% cent of Ukrainians supported Mr Poroshenko, putting him far ahead of political heavyweights like former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and leading politician Vitaly Klitschko, with 8% and 9% respectively.
Only two months ago Mr Klitschko was believed to be the opposition's key presidential candidate. He has since pulled out of the race, and thrown his support behind Mr Poroshenko.
Petro Poroshenko and Vitaly Klitschko Former boxer Mr Klitschko (R) has given up his own presidential ambitions to throw his weight behind Mr Poroshenko
Ukrainian media have interpreted this somewhat surprising support for Mr Poroshenko as a reaction to the opposition's dithering and inability to find common ground during and after the anti-government protests that toppled former President Viktor Yanukovych.
Some believe the reaction against opposition leaders and the novelty of Mr Poroshenko's candidacy give him good grounds to defeat Ms Tymoshenko, his main rival in the election.
'New way of living'
Mr Poroshenko comes from the mainly Russian-speaking Odessa region in southern Ukraine, although his political stronghold is believed to be in the central Vinnytsya region, where he started his business and political career.
He kicked off his presidential campaign in Vinnytsya with a rally there on 29 March.
Newspaper picture of Poroshenko and Tymoshenko Yulia Tymoshenko - for whom Mr Poroshenko served as foreign minister - is now one of his main rivals
The main slogan of Mr Poroshenko's election campaign is "A new way of living".
He portrays himself as a pragmatic politician who sees Ukraine's future in Europe, but hopes to mend relations with Russia, using the diplomatic skills he developed as Ukrainian foreign minister.
His pledges are to implement local governance reform, grant more powers to the country's regions, facilitate economic reforms, and improve the investment climate.
Long experience
Mr Poroshenko has been elected to parliament several times and has worked with both the pro-European and pro-Russian political camps in Ukraine.
He was foreign minister in Ms Tymoshenko's government from 2009 to 2010, and briefly an economic development and trade minister in 2012.
He was one of the founders of Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions. After helping to set it up in 2001, however, he left the same year to lead Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine electoral bloc.
He was also one of the main figures of the Orange Revolution that brought Mr Yushchenko and Ms Tymoshenko to power in 2004. Mr Yushchenko is a godfather to Mr Poroshenko's children.
He is an experienced MP, though currently unaffiliated to any of the country's political parties, and the only oligarch to have supported the pro-European opposition from the start.
The 48-year-old is known as "the chocolate king" for his ownership of Ukraine's largest confectionery manufacturer, Roshen.
He also owns 5 Kanal TV, the most popular news channel in Ukraine, which has shown clear pro-opposition sympathies during the political crisis. Forbes estimated his wealth at $1.6bn (£961m) in March 2013.
Suprising support
A poll published on 26 March showed 25% cent of Ukrainians supported Mr Poroshenko, putting him far ahead of political heavyweights like former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and leading politician Vitaly Klitschko, with 8% and 9% respectively.
Only two months ago Mr Klitschko was believed to be the opposition's key presidential candidate. He has since pulled out of the race, and thrown his support behind Mr Poroshenko.
Petro Poroshenko and Vitaly Klitschko Former boxer Mr Klitschko (R) has given up his own presidential ambitions to throw his weight behind Mr Poroshenko
Ukrainian media have interpreted this somewhat surprising support for Mr Poroshenko as a reaction to the opposition's dithering and inability to find common ground during and after the anti-government protests that toppled former President Viktor Yanukovych.
Some believe the reaction against opposition leaders and the novelty of Mr Poroshenko's candidacy give him good grounds to defeat Ms Tymoshenko, his main rival in the election.
'New way of living'
Mr Poroshenko comes from the mainly Russian-speaking Odessa region in southern Ukraine, although his political stronghold is believed to be in the central Vinnytsya region, where he started his business and political career.
He kicked off his presidential campaign in Vinnytsya with a rally there on 29 March.
Newspaper picture of Poroshenko and Tymoshenko Yulia Tymoshenko - for whom Mr Poroshenko served as foreign minister - is now one of his main rivals
The main slogan of Mr Poroshenko's election campaign is "A new way of living".
He portrays himself as a pragmatic politician who sees Ukraine's future in Europe, but hopes to mend relations with Russia, using the diplomatic skills he developed as Ukrainian foreign minister.
His pledges are to implement local governance reform, grant more powers to the country's regions, facilitate economic reforms, and improve the investment climate.
Long experience
Mr Poroshenko has been elected to parliament several times and has worked with both the pro-European and pro-Russian political camps in Ukraine.
He was foreign minister in Ms Tymoshenko's government from 2009 to 2010, and briefly an economic development and trade minister in 2012.
He was one of the founders of Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions. After helping to set it up in 2001, however, he left the same year to lead Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine electoral bloc.
He was also one of the main figures of the Orange Revolution that brought Mr Yushchenko and Ms Tymoshenko to power in 2004. Mr Yushchenko is a godfather to Mr Poroshenko's children.
[url=http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26822741]BBC News - Profile: Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine's 'chocolate king'[/u
Comment