Russian presidency - Putin wants to run again in 2024
As expected, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has announced his renewed candidacy in next year's Russian presidential election. This was reported by Russian state media on Friday. At a ceremony in the Kremlin to honor the "Heroes of Russia" at the request of military officials, Putin announced his intention to run for the fifth time in the election on 17 March 2024. The 71-year-old had the Russian constitution amended specifically so that he could run again. The central election commission had previously officially confirmed the date for the vote.
According to representatives of the Russian state media, the news of Putin's renewed candidacy was broken by Artyom Zhoga, an official from the Moscow-occupied Ukrainian region of Donetsk. The native Ukrainian, who had actively fought on the Russian side against Kiev's troops, asked Putin to allow the people in the annexed territories to take part in the election.
There had been speculation in Russia for weeks as to when and how Putin would announce his new candidacy. On Friday morning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the president would do so if he felt it was necessary. After the end of the ceremony in the Kremlin, officials in Russia went into overdrive with declarations of loyalty, saying that they would vote for Putin.
Putin's re-election is a foregone conclusion
For days now, state television has been showing programs in which citizens assure Putin, who has been in power for almost a quarter of a century, that they will vote for him. His re-election is considered a foregone conclusion.
The Kremlin is expecting a record result for Putin in the election, which is dominated by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The president presents himself as a champion against the USA's quest for supremacy and against the eastward expansion of NATO. The stylization of the West as the enemy that Putin is fighting against is catching on with many Russians. In the 2018 vote, Putin received 76.69% of the votes.
The Kremlin traditionally tries to organize a field of candidates for the presidency before the elections in order to create the appearance of a selection and competition for Putin. However, the candidates put forward by various parliamentary parties are generally considered to have no chance at all.
Kremlin opponents surrounding the imprisoned Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who has not shown any signs of life for days, have launched a campaign against Putin ahead of the presidential election. "Russia without Putin" is the name of the campaign, in which citizens are asked to vote for any candidate - just not for the incumbent.
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Putin's announcement of his candidacy for the Russian presidency in 2024 was made from the Kremlin, following the amendment of the Russian constitution to allow him to run again. This news was initially reported by Artyom Zhoga, a representative from the Russian-occupied Donetsk region in Ukraine. The Kremlin is anticipating a record-breaking result for Putin in the upcoming presidential election, fueled by his stance against the USA's quest for supremacy and NATO's eastward expansion.
Russian state media has been promoting Putin as the preferred candidate, with citizens openly expressing their intention to vote for him. However, Kremlin opponents, including those supporting the imprisoned Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, have launched a campaign encouraging voters to choose any candidate except for Putin, in a bid called "Russia without Putin."
The central election commission in Russia has officially confirmed the date for the 2024 presidential election as March 17, with Putin being the main contender for the 'Head of state' position. Despite speculation and rumors, the official announcement of Putin's renewed candidacy was only made when he deemed it necessary, as indicated by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
Moscow's influence in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk has been a prominent factor in Putin's new presidency candidacy, with some residents from the annexed territories requesting the right to participate in the election. The Kremlin's efforts to organize a field of candidates before the elections have been aimed at creating an appearance of selection and competition for Putin, but the diversity of candidates put forward by various parliamentary parties is widely perceived as insignificant.
The electoral landscape in Russia is dominated by Putin's approach to Russia's military involvement in Ukraine and his stance against perceived threats from the West, including the USA and NATO. These factors have contributed to Putin's continued popularity among Russian citizens and have become key aspects of his presidential election campaign.
Source: www.stern.de
