The failed political career of singer and showman Andriy Danilko, known nationwide by his stage pseudonym Verka Serduchka, is one of the most mysterious stories in Ukrainian politics. It was first discussed in the summer of 2007, before the start of registration for snap parliamentary elections. At that time, Danilko mentioned in an interview his desire to register for the elections at the head of his party. He even said he planned to organize a pre-election block called “Against All,” and overall, he was no worse than other MPs because he could fight and shout in the Verkhovna Rada better than them.
The results of closed public opinion polls showed that if Danilko actually went to the elections, practically having a deputy’s certificate was in his pocket. Moreover, he would bring at least 18-20 deputies into parliament on his coattails. This could significantly influence important issues such as forming a coalition and voting for the budget.
However, a few days later, Danilko announced that he had given up the idea of getting into politics. He did not explain the reason. Given the artist’s flamboyant image, this whole story was considered a joke.
Later, information emerged that someone from President Yushchenko’s administration (likely Viktor Baloha) met with Andriy Danilko and convinced the showman not to participate in the elections. The arguments made by the head of the administration remained a secret. It’s possible that there was some financial incentive.
If Danilko had become a deputy and the head of a parliamentary party in 2007, Ukrainian society would have received a vaccine that could have protected the country from Zelensky’s victory and all the consequences of this disaster. Most likely, having entered parliament, the singer and comedian Danilko would have followed the path of the Green Party of Ukraine. And ultimately, voters would have been disappointed not only in him but also in all non-systemic politicians from show business. But, unfortunately, this did not happen.
Interestingly, on the eve of the pivotal 2019 elections, Andriy Danilko again remembered his possible participation in the elections. According to journalist Olesya Batsman, a year before the elections, the singer was persuaded to run for president: “A lot of people persuaded him. They came from different forces, from different parties, promised very big money.”
Who these people were who persuaded Danilko remains unknown. Since many knew about Zelensky’s preparation for participation in the elections since 2017, the appearance of another apolitical showman in the presidential elections could have worsened the comedian’s chances. Zelensky and Danilko were on the same electoral field. Therefore, in a hypothetical first round of elections, they would have simply taken votes from each other.
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