Russia celebrates the March 15 to 17 the presidential elections that, in the absence of real adversaries, aim to give Vladimir Putin a new triumphant mandate of six years and consolidate your legitimacydespite the problems caused by the offensive in Ukraine.
Presidential elections in Russia: 5 facts about the elections
The only candidates opposed to the conflict in Ukrainelike the liberals Boris Nadezhin and Ekaterina Duntsovasupported by the signatures of tens of thousands of Russians, were prevented from participatingofficially by errors in your records.
In addition to Putinthree candidates were authorized: the nationalist Leonid Slutskythe communist Nikolai Kharitonov and the businessman Vladislav Davankovthey all support the military campaign in Ukraine.
According to government critics, the participation of these three false adversaries serves to channel discontent of sectors of Russian society and give a pluralistic veneer to the vote, while the real opposition was annihilated by years of repression.
Opponents say the authorities have several tools to control the results: rigging votes cast online and remotely, fill the ballot boxes, falsify minutes after the recount and press millions of officials across the country to vote in favor of the government.
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Yulia Navalnayawidow of the opponent Alexei Navalnycalled on his supporters to gather at the polling stations at the same time and vote for “any candidate but Putin” or to invalidate your ballot by writing “Navalni” in large letters.
Although the result leaves no room for doubt, the authorities actively participate in the campaign. The objective is reinforce Putin’s legitimacy inside and outside the country, demonstrating that it enjoys massive support at the polls and in society.
Navalny Russian opponent
Reuters
Putin intensified his media appearances in recent weeks, appearing with students, in factories or in command of a nuclear deterrent bomber. However, he will not participate in no electoral debatesomething he never did since coming to power a quarter of a century ago.
But in late February, in his annual address to the nation, he made a long series of announcements in which he promised billions of rubles to modernize infrastructure, fight against the poorness and demographic decline, or even digitize the country. A presidential program until 2030at least.
Although the Russian economy proved more resistant than expected to multiple Western sanctions, many Russians worry about the price increase and, in general, for the destabilization caused by the campaign in Ukraine.
Russia elections
Photo: Reuters
The problems of human Resources grow with the death or departure at the head of thousands of young men and hundreds of thousands who They flee abroad for opposing the conflict or for fear of being drafted into the army.
In recent months the authorities have been nervous about the demonstrations of soldiers’ wives who demand his return from the front, despite the great sums of money and the social benefits promised to military families.
Posters calling for patriotism appear in public spaces of the Russians to encourage them to vote. They carry a Vone of the symbols of the Russian forces in Ukraineand the motto “Together we are stronger, let’s vote for Russia!”.
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Elcano Royal Institute.
As usual, the authorities will organize raffles with awards and shows to motivate voters to go to the polls, in a country where distrust in politicsespecially among the youthsshe’s very tall.
At the same time, Ukraine and its Western allies are presented as potential troublemakers. In December, Putin warned of the “foreign interference” in the vote and promised a “severe response”.
The elections are also held in the Ukrainian territories occupied by Moscow from 2022, a paradox of the Russian authorities who want to give an image of normal while carrying out a high intensity conflict.
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Kyiv states that the inhabitants of those areas faced threats and violence to get them to votesomething that Moscow denies. Russian soldiers sent there were able to issue their votes at the polls in early elections.
Source: Ambito
