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The protests were prompted by reports from several domestic and foreign election monitors as well as the widespread public perception that the results of the run-off vote of 21 November 2004 between leading candidates [[Viktor Yushchenko]] and [[Viktor Yanukovych]] were rigged by the authorities in favour of the latter.<ref name=Time>Paul Quinn-Judge, Yuri Zarakhovich, [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,901041206-832153,00.html The Orange Revolution], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', 28 November 2004</ref> The nationwide protests succeeded when the results of the original run-off were annulled, and a revote was ordered by [[Supreme Court of Ukraine|Ukraine's Supreme Court]] for 26 December 2004. Under intense scrutiny by domestic and international observers, the second run-off was declared to be "fair and free". The final results showed a clear victory for Yushchenko, who received about 52% of the vote, compared to Yanukovych's 44%. Yushchenko was declared the official winner and with his inauguration on 23 January 2005 in Kiev, the Orange Revolution ended.
In the following years, the Orange Revolution had a negative connotation among pro-government circles in [[Belarus]] and [[Russia]].<ref name=MTimes/><ref name="some of our opposition members were in Ukraine"/><ref name="Taras Kuzio:Ukraine is Not Russia">[http://www.taraskuzio.net%2FInternational%2520Relations_files%2FRussiaUkraineYouth.pdf Ukraine is Not Russia:Comparing Youth Political Activism] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140516205928/http://www.taraskuzio.net/International%20Relations_files/RussiaUkraineYouth.pdf |date=16 May 2014 }} by [[Taras Kuzio]], [[Johns Hopkins University Press]], 2006<br>{{ru icon}} [http://vz.ru/politics/2013/1/25/617482.html «В оранжевых и радужных трусах» ''In orange and red shorts''], [[Vzglyad (newspaper)|Vzglyad]] (25 January 2013)</ref><ref name=LGBTNilov/>
In the [[Ukrainian presidential election, 2010|2010 presidential election]], Yanukovych became Yushchenko's successor as [[Ukrainian President]] after the [[Central Election Commission of Ukraine|Central Election Commission]] and international observers declared that the presidential election was conducted fairly.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/yanukovich-declared-winner-in-ukraine-poll-1899552.html |title=Yanukovich declared winner in Ukraine poll | location=London |work=The Independent |first1=Pavel |last1=Polityuk |first2=Richard |last2=Balmforth |date=15 February 2010}}<br>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8535778.stm |title=Viktor Yanukovych sworn in as Ukraine president | work=BBC News |date=25 February 2010}}</ref> Yanukovych was ousted from power four years later following the [[February 2014 Euromaidan clashes]] in Kiev's [[Maidan Nezalezhnosti|Independence Square]]. Unlike the bloodless Orange Revolution, these protests resulted in more than 100 deaths, occurring mostly between 18 and 20 February.
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The local councils in [[Kiev]], [[Lviv]],<ref>Kamil Tchorek, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article395652.ece Protest grows in western city], ''[[The Times]]'', 26 November 2004</ref> and several other cities passed, with the wide popular support of their constituency, a largely symbolic refusal to accept the legitimacy of the official election results, and Yushchenko took a symbolic [[Oath of office|presidential oath]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4198957.stm Yushchenko takes reins in Ukraine]. BBC NEWS. 23 January 2005. URL Retrieved 17 November 2006</ref> This "oath" taken by Yushchenko in half-empty parliament chambers, lacking the [[quorum]] as only the Yushchenko-leaning [[Political faction|factions]] were present, could not have any legal effect. But it was an important symbolic gesture meant to demonstrate the resolve of the Yushchenko campaign not to accept the compromised election results. In response, Yushchenko's opponents denounced him for taking an illegitimate oath, and even some of his moderate supporters were ambivalent about this act, while a more radical side of the Yushchenko camp demanded him to act even more decisively. Some observers argued that this symbolic presidential oath might have been useful to the Yushchenko camp should events have taken a more confrontational route.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} In such a scenario, this "presidential oath" Yushchenko took could be used to lend legitimacy to the claim that he, rather than his rival who tried to gain the presidency through alleged fraud, was a true [[commander-in-chief]] authorised to give orders to the military and security agencies.
At the same time, local officials in Eastern and Southern Ukraine, the stronghold of [[Viktor Yanukovych]], started a series of actions alluding to the possibility of the breakup of Ukraine or an extra-constitutional [[federalisation]] of the country, should their candidate's claimed victory not be recognised. Demonstrations of public support for Yanukovych were held throughout Eastern Ukraine and some of his supporters arrived in Kiev. In Kiev the pro-Yanukovych demonstrators were far outnumbered by Yushchenko supporters, whose ranks were continuously swelled by new arrivals from many regions of Ukraine. The scale of the demonstrations in Kiev was unprecedented. By many estimates, on some days they drew up to one million people to the streets, in freezing weather.<ref>USAID Report [http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/democracy_and_governance/publications/pdfs/democracy_rising.pdf Democracy Rising (PDF)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060301173926/http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/democracy_and_governance/publications/pdfs/democracy_rising.pdf |date=1 March 2006 }}</ref>
In total 18.4% of Ukrainians have claimed to have taken part in the Orange Revolution (across Ukraine).<ref name=ORRNC/>
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===Re-run election===
The 26 December revote was held under intense scrutiny of local and international observers. The preliminary results, announced by the [[Central Election Commission of Ukraine|Central Election Commission]] on 28 December, gave Yushchenko and Yanukovych 51.99% and 44.20% of the total vote which represented a change in the vote by +5.39% to Yushchenko and −5.27% from Yanukovych respectively when compared to the November poll.<ref>"Results of Voting in Ukraine Presidential Elections 2004", [http://www.cvk.gov.ua/pls/vp2004/wp0011e Central Election Commission of Ukraine]. URL Retrieved 12 September 2006</ref> The Yanukovych team attempted to mount a fierce legal challenge to the election results using both the Ukrainian courts and the Election Commission complaint procedures. However, all their complaints were dismissed as without merit by both the [[Supreme Court of Ukraine]] and the Central Election Commission.<ref name="BBC">"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4061253.stm Timeline: Battle for Ukraine]". BBC NEWS, 23 January 2005. URL Retrieved 12 September 2006</ref> On 10 January 2005 the Election Commission officially declared Yushchenko as the winner of the presidential election<ref name="BBC" /> with the final results falling within 0.01% of the preliminary ones. This Election Commission announcement<ref>[http://www.cvk.gov.ua/postanovy/2005/p0015_2005.htm Official CEC announcement of results as of 10 January 2005] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050312021855/http://www.cvk.gov.ua/postanovy/2005/p0015_2005.htm |date=12 March 2005 }}, Central Election Commission. URL Retrieved 12 September 2006 {{uk icon}}</ref> cleared the way for Yushchenko's [[inauguration]] as the [[President of Ukraine]]. The official ceremony took place in the [[Verkhovna Rada building]] on 23 January 2005 and was followed by the "public inauguration" of the newly sworn President at [[Maidan Nezalezhnosti]] (''Independence Square'') in front of hundreds of thousands of his supporters.<ref>Finn, Peter. "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30051-2005Jan23.html In a Final Triumph, Ukrainian Sworn In]". ''Washington Post'', 24 January 2005. URL Retrieved 12 September 2006</ref> This event brought the Ukrainian Orange Revolution to its peaceful conclusion.<ref>Ukraine: A History [https://books.google.com/books?id=ktyM07I9HXwC&pg=PT602&lpg=PT602&dq=23+january+Orange+Revolution+to+its+peaceful+conclusion.&source=bl&ots=y5UbC2YMV7&sig=vPH11TDPiIe5Zy_LQhC3VlJvFjs&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=g0A5UcLvNoHcOaK9gfgM&ved=0CEQQ6AEwAw 4th Edition] by [[Orest Subtelny]], [[University of Toronto Press]], 2009, {{ISBN|1442609915}}</ref>
<gallery class="center" widths="170px" heights="170px">
File:Ukraine Presidential Dec 2004 Vote (Yushchenko).png|Viktor Yushchenko (Final round) – percentage of total national vote
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According to one version of events recounted by ''[[The New York Times]]'',<ref name=NYTSBU>C. J. Chivers, [https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0913FF395C0C748DDDA80894DD404482 BACK CHANNELS: A Crackdown Averted; How Top Spies in Ukraine Changed the Nation's Path], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 17 January 2005.</ref> Ukrainian security agencies played an unusual role in the Orange Revolution, with a [[KGB]] successor agency in the former Soviet state providing qualified support to the political opposition. As per the paper report, on 28 November 2004 over 10,000 [[MVS (Ukraine)|MVS]] (Internal Ministry) troops were mobilised to put down the protests in Independence Square in Kiev by the order of their commander, Lt. Gen. Sergei Popkov.<ref>For question on ultimate source of orders and mobilisation details see Lehrke, Jesse Paul. The Transition to National Armies in the Former Soviet Republics, 1988–2005.” Oxfordshire, UK: Routledge (2013), 188–89.</ref> The SBU ([[Security Service of Ukraine]], a successor to the KGB in Ukraine) warned opposition leaders of the crackdown. Oleksander Galaka, head of GUR (military intelligence) made calls to "prevent bloodshed". Col. Gen. Ihor Smeshko (SBU chief) and Maj. Gen. Vitaly Romanchenko (military counter-intelligence chief) both claimed to have warned Popkov to pull back his troops, which he did, preventing bloodshed.
In addition to the desire to avoid bloodshed, the ''New York Times'' article suggests that ''[[silovik]]i'', as the security officers are often called in the countries of the [[former Soviet Union]], were motivated by personal aversion to the possibility of having to serve President Yanukovych, who was in his youth convicted of robbery and assault and had alleged connection with [[political corruption|corrupt]] businessmen, especially if he were to ascend to the presidency by fraud. The personal feelings of Gen. Smeshko towards Yanukovych may also have played a role. Additional evidence of Yushchenko's popularity and at least partial support among the SBU officers is shown by the fact that several embarrassing proofs of electoral fraud, including incriminating [[Telephone tapping|wiretap]] recordings of conversations among the Yanukovych campaign and government officials discussing how to rig the election, were provided to the Yushchenko camp.<ref name=wiretap>{{
According to Abel Polese, Kuchma was concerned about its reputation in the [[Western world|West]]; because of lack of [[natural resources in Ukraine|natural resources]] to finance his regime he had to show a commitment to democracy in order to be targeted for Western financial assistance.<ref name=APOR291011>[https://www.academia.edu/1068864/Russia_the_US_the_Others_and_the_101_Things_to_Do_to_Win_a_Colour_Revolution_Reflections_on_Georgia_and_Ukraine Russia, the US, “the Others” and the “101 Things to Do to Win a (Colour)Revolution”: Reflections on Georgia and Ukraine] by Abel Polese, [[Routledge]] (26 October 2011)</ref>
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==2010 presidential election==
A Circuit administrative court in Kiev forbade mass actions at [[Maidan Nezalezhnosti]] from 9 January 2010 to 5 February 2010. The [[Kyiv mayor|Mayor]]'s office had requested this in order to avoid "nonstandard situations" during the aftermath of the [[Ukrainian presidential election, 2010|2010 presidential election]]. Apparently (in particular) the [[Party of Regions]], [[All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland"]] and [[All-Ukrainian Union "Freedom"|Svoboda]] had applied for a permit to demonstrate there.<ref>[http://www.unian.net/eng/news/news-356613.html Court forbade Maydan after first tour of election], [[UNIAN]] (13 January 2010)</ref> Incumbent President [[Viktor Yushchenko]] got 5,5% of votes during the election.<ref>{{uk icon}}[http://www.cvk.gov.ua/vp2010/wp320pt00_t001f01=700pt001f01=700pplace=1.html Central Election Commission Candidate Results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121012542/http://www.cvk.gov.ua/vp2010/wp320pt00_t001f01%3D700pt001f01%3D700pplace%3D1.html |date=21 January 2010 }}, [[CEC Ukraine]] (19 January 2010)</ref>
"Ukraine is a European democratic country", said Yushchenko in a sort of political will at the polling station. “It is a free nation and free people.”<ref>[http://www.europarussia.com/posts/755 Ukraine. Farewell to the Orange Revolution], EuropaRussia (19 January 2010)</ref> According to him, this is one of the great achievements of the Orange Revolution.
In the 2010 presidential election [[Viktor Yanukovych]] was declared the winner which was labeled by some Yanukovych supporters as "An end to this Orange nightmare".<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8508276.stm Ukraine election: Yanukovych urges Tymoshenko to quit], BBC News, 10 February 2010, 13:23 GMT</ref> Immediately after his election Yanukovych promised to "clear the debris of misunderstanding and old problems that emerged during the years of the Orange power".<ref>[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/59193/ Yanukovych appeals to the nation, asks Tymoshenko to step down], [[Kyiv Post]] (10 February 2010)</ref> According to influential [[Party of Regions]] member [[Rinat Akhmetov]] the ideals of the Orange Revolution won at the 2010 election "We had a fair and democratic independent election. The entire world recognised it, and international observers confirmed its results. That's why the ideals of the Orange Revolution won".<ref>[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/60518 Akhmetov: Ideals of 'Orange Revolution' won at election in 2010], [[Kyiv Post]] (February 26, 2010)</ref> According to [[Yulia Tymoshenko]] the 2010 elections was a missed "chance to become a worthy member of the European family and to put an end to the rule of the [[oligarchy]]".<ref>[http://www.tymoshenko.ua/en/article/ea5wzazv Yulia Tymoshenko’s address to the people of Ukraine]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Yulia Tymoshenko official website (22 February 2010)</ref>
==Legacy==
President Viktor Yushchenko decreed in 2005 that 22 November (the starting day of the Orange Revolution) will be a non-public holiday "Day of Freedom".<ref>[http://en.for-ua.com/analytics/2011/11/23/151355.html Day of Freedom: here comes the end to revolutions] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126230907/http://en.for-ua.com/analytics/2011/11/23/151355.html |date=26 November 2011 }}, ForUm (23 November 2011)</ref> This date was moved to 22 January (and merged with [[Unification Day (Ukraine)|Unification Day]]) by President Viktor Yanukovych late December 2011.<ref>[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/119839/ Yanukovych signs decree on new holiday replacing Ukrainian Independence Day], [[Kyiv Post]] (30 December 2011)</ref><ref name=ZIK30122011>[http://zik.ua/en/news/2011/12/31/326863 Yanukovych cancels Freedom Day on 22 Nov.], [[Z I K]] (31 December 2011)</ref><ref>[http://eng.obozrevatel.com/politics/yanukovych-abolishes-day-of-liberty-on-november-22.htm Yanukovych abolishes Day of Liberty on 22 November] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219074653/http://eng.obozrevatel.com/politics/yanukovych-abolishes-day-of-liberty-on-november-22.htm |date=19 February 2014 }}, “Observer” (30 December 2011)</ref> President Yanukovych stated he moved "Day of Freedom" because of “numerous appeals from the public”.<ref name=ZIK30122011/>{{#tag:ref|Mid-October 2014 President [[Petro Poroshenko]] undid Yanukovych's merging of [[Unification Day (Ukraine)|Unification Day]] when he decreed that 21 November will be celebrated as "Day of Dignity and Freedom" in honour of the [[Euromaidan]]-protests that started on 21 November 2013.<ref>[http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/234303.html Ukrainians to celebrate Day of Dignity and Freedom on November 21, Unity Day on January 22], [[Interfax-Ukraine]] (13 November 2014)</ref>|group=nb}}
Outright [[vote rigging]] diminished after the [[Ukrainian presidential election, 2004|2004 presidential election]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Wp7VKL4p7kQC&pg=PA63&dq=vote+rigging+Ukraine&hl=nl&ei=phVxTqClNIGdOqDkmJMJ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=vote%20rigging%20Ukraine&f=false Understanding Ukrainian Politics:Power, Politics, And Institutional Design] by [[Paul D'Anieri]], [[M.E. Sharpe]], 2006, {{ISBN|978-0-7656-1811-5}} (page 63)</ref><ref>[http://euobserver.com/?aid=29431 EU endorses Ukraine election result], [[euobserver]] (8 February 2010)</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/08/AR2010020803583.html International observers say Ukrainian election was free and fair], [[Washington Post]] (9 February 2010)</ref><ref>[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/politics/detail/59077/ European Parliament president greets Ukraine on conducting free and fair presidential election], [[Kyiv Post]] (9 February 2010)</ref> No officials involved in the 2004 elections that preceded the Orange Revolution were convicted for election fraud.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=cQqr7f9QkngC&pg=PA52&dq=officials+convicted+election+fraud+Ukraine&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=dV5ST6nPE8Hd8QPpxZXwBQ&ved=0CFcQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=officials%20convicted%20election%20fraud%20Ukraine&f=false Ukraine on its meandering path between East and West] by Andrej Lushnycky and [[Mykola Riabchuk]], [[Peter Lang (publishing company)|Peter Lang]], 2009, {{ISBN|303911607X}} (page 52)</ref><ref>[http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1061785.html Ukraine:Has Yushchenko Betrayed The Orange Revolution? ], [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]] (30 September 2005)</ref><ref>[http://en.for-ua.com/analytics/2005/10/28/164030.html Independent standpoint on Ukraine:Dismissal of Prosecutor-General, Closure of Poroshenko Case Create New] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103105813/http://en.for-ua.com/analytics/2005/10/28/164030.html |date=3 November 2013 }}, [[ForUm]] (28 October 2005)</ref>
A 2007 research revealed that opinion about the nature of the Orange Revolution had barely shifted since 2004 and that the attitudes about it in the country remained divided along the same largely geographical lines that it had been at the time of the revolution ([[West Ukraine|West]] and [[Central Ukraine]] being more positive about the events and [[South Ukraine|South]] and [[Eastern Ukraine]] more cynical (seniors also)).<ref name=ORRNC/> This research (also) showed that Ukrainians in total had a less positive view on the Orange Revolution in 2007 than they had in 2005.<ref name=ORRNC/> It has been suggested that since the Orange Revolution was impactful enough to interest people of all ages it increased the overall unity of Ukraine.{{Original research inline|date=December 2012}}
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