Oleh Tyagnybok, leader of Svoboda, has succeeded in winning parliamentary seats for his controversial party. It earned over 10% of the vote and will be guaranteed a place in the new parliament. Its polling success was unexpected and its political clout has raised legitimate concerns. Senior party officials have repeatedly made derogatory remarks about Jews, Africans, sexual minorities, and Russian-speakers among others. It has raised the specter of Nazism and the Holocaust.

If Svoboda’s campaign pledge does not go beyond defending Ukrainian culture, especially the Ukrainian language, and bringing Ukraine into the European Union then it has the potential to make a positive contribution. To do so, however, Svoboda and its leadership must mature by moving beyond demonizing various groups within the country. Otherwise, it will be, and rightly so, nothing more than a vocal, minority group given little credibility in the West.