Conservatism and Christian democracy in Ukraine today are in an uncertain state, but have good chances for the future.
It is significant that it was conservative ideology that stood at the origins of Ukrainian independence. Such a national democratic party as the People’s Movement of Ukraine was a clearly conservative force that stood on a strong Christian democratic platform. In general, conservatism and Christian democracy are often “interchangeable” ideologies: in countries where a conservative party is strong, Christian democrats vote for conservatives, as we see in the United States or Britain. Instead, the German conservative voter votes with the CDU/CSU.
Today, among the major parties, European Solidarity calls itself conservative and Christian democratic, although not all voters and experts agree that this party adheres to its declared ideological principles. At the same time, various sociological agencies put the level of support for the party at 6-9%. However, it should be borne in mind that the non-existent party of Valeriy Zaluzhnyi has a fairly large percentage of support in Ukrainian opinion polls and could even take the lead if the general were to enter politics. Part of the conservative electorate may also vote for this political force.
Although Zaluzhnyi has hardly expressed his ideological views, some citizens would like to transfer their ideological values to the popular general and be convinced that his list of political guidelines should include the church community and Christian values, family, traditions, patriotism, nation and state.
Despite the fact that modern left-liberal forces from the West are actively influencing the views of Ukrainians and attacking traditional Christian and conservative values that have historically been the foundation of the Ukrainian people, there is a trend toward a “conservative renaissance” in the world. In the United States, Donald Trump and the Republican conservatives won the election, the CDU/CSU is leading in Germany, and the positions of opponents of leftist values are strengthening in other countries. Ukraine can also become part of this process, once a full-fledged political process and elections are restored.
After the possible end of the hot phase of the war, values and social groups that have traditionally been considered the basis of conservatism will gain popularity in Ukrainian society.
The military, as a social category that tends to favor order and stability, has always voted for conservatives in different countries. Ukrainian opinion polls show a clear trend of increasing popularity of the military and recognition of the public need for their involvement in politics. There is a fairly high chance that Ukrainian veterans and former military personnel, with their inherent conservative values, will have a significant representation in the future Ukrainian parliament.
At the same time, during and after the war, religious views and faith in God have traditionally been characterized by an increase in religious beliefs. In Ukraine, this is also facilitated by the institute of military chaplaincy and the volunteerism of priests. This is also facilitated by the urgency of the religious situation in Ukraine: the importance of establishing Ukrainian spiritual independence from the Moscow church, because this problem has not been given sufficiently decisive attention. Therefore, political forces that already have or will adopt Christian values may have higher voter support than before the war.
Therefore, in the first elections, Ukraine may have a much higher representation of conservative and Christian democratic forces, which is a rather natural social phenomenon given the nature of key problems and demands of a society that has experienced a psychological and security crisis. At the same time, it would be easier for Ukrainian conservatives and Christian democrats in power to find common ground with the ruling American conservatives or German Christian democrats, which would have a positive impact on strengthening Ukraine’s position.
One of the main threats to the growing influence of conservatism on political power in Ukraine may be radicalism and populism, which always have many supporters in a war-torn society. However, if Ukrainian society proves to be resistant to these threats and realizes that radicals and populists have never built anything but fascism, Nazism, and Putinism after the war, as history has shown, Ukraine will have a chance to increase the political representation of forces oriented toward traditional and Christian democratic values.
Author: Valeriy Maydanyuk