On Friday, the 15th of March, voting opened in the Russian presidential elections, which are likely to allow Vladimir Putin to stay in power for another six years. Voters will have three days to cast their ballots for four candidates, of whom Putin will undoubtedly win, reports the British broadcaster BBC.
Polling stations on Russia’s eastern Kamchatka peninsula opened at 8:00 local time on Friday (22:00 in Latvia on Thursday) and will close in the Kaliningrad enclave at 22:00 Latvian time on Sunday.
While Putin was speaking to a small group at a military awards ceremony last December, a commander of a pro-Russian unit in Ukraine’s Donetsk region urged Putin to run in the Russian presidential elections, saying “We need you, Russia needs you”, to which Putin responded by announcing his candidacy for a fifth term.
Despite his spokesman’s claims of spontaneity, the Kremlin quickly mobilised the media, which hailed the 71-year-old President Putin as a national leader who stands above all potential rivals.
“Support for the President transcends party support alone,” one state TV news correspondent was quoted as saying later in the week. “Vladimir Putin is the people’s candidate!”
Putin has been in power in Russia longer than any other ruler since Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
During his rule, Vladimir Putin has methodically consolidated his power so that there is no longer any real threat to his rule. His most outspoken critics are dead, in prison or in exile.
In the last elections in 2018, the official turnout was 68%, although international observers reported cases of ballot stuffing.
More than 114 million Russians are eligible to vote, including in the occupied territories of Ukraine, which Russia calls “new regions”, where polling stations opened ten days before the elections and social media have been flooded with calls to vote.
The Russian leader will be joined in the elections by Nikolai Kharitonov,
representing the Communist Party. The other two candidates are Leonid Slutsky of the nationalist LDPR and Vladislav Davankov of the New People’s Party, an ostensibly liberal and pro-business party.
Despite the different political positions of the three candidates, all three of them support the Kremlin’s policies in principle.
The Electoral Commission barred two anti-war candidates, Boris Nadezhdin and Ekaterina Duntsova, from standing, citing irregularities in their documents.
Vladimir Putin did not take part in the televised debates before the elections.
Instead, the media highlighted organised meetings with various groups, such as factory workers and soldiers, while his State of the Nation Address at the end of February was seen as a campaign move to reinforce his image as a populist leader.
Putin’s speech highlighted Russia’s persistent problems such as poverty, education, infrastructure and healthcare. Despite his two-decade presidency, these issues remain unresolved, while a significant proportion of the budget is allocated to military and security spending, reaching as much as 40% in 2024.
Yulia Navalny, Alexei Navalny’s widow, has called on supporters to gather at the polling stations on election day and vote against Vladimir Putin, whom she blames for Navalny’s death. However, she explained that the aim of this initiative is to quietly identify like-minded people rather than to bring about substantial change.
The Kremlin has warned people not to take part in unauthorised rallies.
On the 18th of March, the Russian people are expected to see the re-election of President Putin, most likely accompanied by a victory rally where he could thank the electorate and shed a tear.
Also read: Putin in annual address talks on war in Ukraine, nuclear capabilities, relations with West
Also read: Putin’s challenger Nadezhdin vows to appeal in court after election ban
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