Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky quickly backed down last month from his decision to push through a law limiting the powers of the country's anti-corruption agency after its announcement sparked widespread protests - the first threat to the stability of his administration since the Russian invasion, BTA writes, citing the Associated Press (AP).
However, the damage to the president's image is unlikely to be repaired as easily.
Zelensky changed his position after years of public discontent that simmered around his inner circle, some of whose members were accused of corruption. But Ukrainians had great respect for their president during the war, believing he would successfully fight the Kremlin and even agreeing to restrict some civil liberties.
The protests have shown the limits of that goodwill, as the public has concluded that Zelensky’s swift passage of the law was too extreme.
“People will support Zelensky in whatever he does regarding the war. But the previous level of trust “that he will do everything right, without outside interests, has suffered,” says Tetyana Shevchuk, a board member of the Ukrainian non-governmental Anti-Corruption Action Center, which fights corruption. Zelensky “will have to work hard to get it back.”
A Gallup poll finds that two-thirds of Ukrainians approve of the way Zelensky is doing as president, a drop from 2022, when their share was 84%. Another survey published Wednesday by the International Sociological Institute in Kiev showed the same trend, with Zelensky's trust in the country declining since before the war and a sharp decline since the law was signed.
Both surveys were conducted in July and did not include the opinions of people living in areas of the country that are not controlled by Ukraine or that were under established Russian control.
Zelensky's initial decision to sign the law damaged his image among Ukrainians, loyal lawmakers and Western allies, with the foreign minister telling The Associated Press that his willingness to abandon the law could help him restore "lost trust."
Zelensky said the law was aimed at rooting out Russian influence
Zelensky sparked protests by signing measures to limit the powers of Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), as well as the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
Zelensky said that the law was originally intended to root out Russian influence in these agencies, but he did not present enough evidence to support his claim. The law was passed so quickly that lawmakers say they barely had time to read it. For the Ukrainian people, patience has run out.
With a full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, the public is tolerating restrictions such as martial law and postponing elections. Critics say the consolidation of presidential power undermines the country's democratic institutions and the checks and balances needed to ensure transparency.
The subsequent anti-corruption protests in July in Kyiv and other cities were among the largest in the country in years, drawing thousands of participants and reflecting widespread public demands for transparency and accountability even in times of war.
"What brought people to the streets was not just one law, but a series of events and, above all, the accumulated feelings and desire to show the government that there are certain red lines," Shevchuk said.
Ukrainian leaders have been sensitive to public opinion since the Euromaidan of 2013 and 2014, which sparked major political changes, including the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Until recently, Zelensky's decisions and statements have largely were in line with public opinion. He closely monitors polls. For example, he did not say that Ukraine would not be able to take back the occupied territories by force until polls showed that Ukrainians were willing to agree to an end to the war in exchange for territorial concessions.
Much of the suspicion about Zelensky’s inner circle has centered on the president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, who is seen as wielding too much power, activists and Ukrainian and Western officials say. In recent weeks, two other Zelensky aides have sparked public discontent ahead of the protests.
The first is Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, a close ally of Zelensky, who was officially named a suspect in a land-grabbing case in June. NABU later announced that he was the sixth suspect in a major corruption scheme led by a Kiev real estate developer.
The other is Timur Mindych, a close friend of Zelensky. Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported that NABU and SAPO are in the process of issuing an official notice of suspicion against the businessman, who is involved in the production of drones.
"Ukrainians are united in their support for the president in terms of his efforts to stop the war, his efforts to gain support from allies, as well as the necessary military assistance," Shevchuk said. "At the same time, however, people know what is happening to the president's close allies, the corruption allegations, so nothing goes unnoticed," she added.
The protests "were a reminder to the president from people who are simply saying: "We see everything, we remember everything. And we don't want the president to use his power to protect corruption," she said.
MPs will no longer blindly accept Zelensky-backed laws
MPs who quickly passed the law to limit the powers of NABU and SAPO said the negative reaction undermined blind faith in the bills backed by Zelensky. Bills he has sponsored have previously passed with few objections, with a few exceptions.
"I voted not because I agree with the law, but because it was the president's decision," said Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker from Zelensky's party. "I didn't have time to read it, but I understood the risk and voted like the others because we trust the president. It was his decision, and we are team players," he said.
Zelensky himself has suggested that there was a lack of communication regarding the law.
"Maybe there should have been a dialogue. Communication is always necessary," he told reporters on July 24.
The faith in Zelensky led another lawmaker to joke that if the president nominated a spoon for prime minister, parliament would probably vote "yes". But that has changed, Merezhko says, explaining that parliament is now more independent.
"Now members of parliament will be more careful", he says. "If we used to trust the president or the cabinet when it comes to bills, now we have distrust. If such bills are introduced, members of parliament will remember what happened. They don't want to be accused or blamed for what happened," he adds.
But the deputies expressed satisfaction with Zelensky's quick decision to change his position and calm the anger on the streets. Last week, parliament approved another law that restored the independence of NABU and SAPO.
"People wanted change. We reacted," Zelensky told reporters.
The law has also raised doubts in the West
The proposed law has also raised concerns among Ukraine's European allies, who have suggested that it could jeopardize support for Kiev and affect Ukraine's accession to the EU. Ukraine's closest allies have welcomed the swift reversal of the decision.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer raised the issue on July 24 during a phone call with Zelensky.
A statement from Starmer's office said the leaders "agreed on the importance of independent anti-corruption institutions at the heart of Ukrainian democracy."
In Germany, Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful expressed regret after Zelensky approved measures to limit the powers of NABU and SAPO. When Zelensky changed course, Vaddeful wrote in "Ex" that the vote in the Ukrainian parliament "is a positive and necessary step towards restoring lost trust".
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, who often speaks out on issues in foreign countries, including their internal affairs, has remained silent on the Ukrainian law on corruption.