From Integration to Mobilisation: The Evolution of Populism in the Presidential Campaigns of Ukraine (1991-2004)

The article examines the evolution of populism in the electoral platforms used during presidential election campaigns in Ukraine between 1991 and 2004. It finds that populism remained consistent in intensity but varied in form, serving as a flexible tool of communication that adapted to the political context of each electoral cycle. The analysis shows that: in 1991, populism was employed spontaneously as a means of social integration; in 1994, it shifted towards paranoid mobilisation amid political instability and uncertainty; in 1999, populist strategies took on a distinctly antagonistic tone; and by 2004, the rhetoric had softened, approaching a technocratic style. The study demonstrates that the transformation and development of populism were closely linked to the evolution of the presidency in Ukraine, which, due to its Soviet political legacy, remained a sacralised symbol of unity and hope. It argues that populism not only reflected the electorate’s expectations but also served as a mechanism for adapting candidates to the post-Soviet notion of power as personalised, omnipotent, and detached from institutional politics.