The Kremlin meticulously orchestrated the political landscape to ensure President Vladimir Putin faced no significant competition, virtually guaranteeing his re-election for a fifth term. During a prestigious military awards ceremony in December, Putin, aged 71, announced his decision to seek re-election, a move prompted by the urging of Lt-Col Artyom Zhoga, a commander from the Donetsk region in Ukraine. Despite the Kremlin’s portrayal of this decision as spontaneous, its media machinery immediately launched a comprehensive campaign to highlight Putin’s unparalleled leadership qualities, effectively sidelining any potential challengers.
Putin, who has been at the helm of Russian politics for over two decades—surpassing any leader since Joseph Stalin—has manipulated the constitution to extend his eligibility for presidency, potentially allowing him to remain in power until 2030. Throughout his tenure, Putin has consolidated power to such an extent that no viable opposition remains, with critics either deceased, imprisoned, or in exile.
Despite the foregone conclusion of Putin’s victory, the Kremlin appeared keen on demonstrating a high voter turnout to legitimize the election process. The 2018 election saw a turnout of 68%, albeit with reports of electoral fraud. This year, efforts to facilitate voting aimed to boost turnout beyond 74%, including in regions recently annexed by Russia.
The election featured nominal opponents like Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party, Leonid Slutsky of the nationalist LDPR, and Vladislav Davankov of the New People party, all of whom ostensibly supported the Kremlin’s agenda, offering no real challenge to Putin. Boris Nadezhdin, a Moscow councillor representing a glimmer of hope for the opposition, was disqualified over alleged issues with his candidacy signatures.
In the run-up to the election, televised debates excluded Putin, who instead engaged in well-orchestrated interactions with the public. Addressing domestic issues in his state-of-the-nation speech, Putin proposed social reforms to address Russia’s challenges, including poverty and declining birth rates. However, these issues persist, with a significant portion of the budget allocated to military and security spending.
Despite the lack of genuine competition or a fair electoral process, as critiqued by international observers, the election process was marked by attempts at protest and opposition, albeit with limited impact. Alexei Navalny’s posthumous call for a “Noon against Putin” protest highlighted the opposition’s resilience, despite the inevitability of Putin’s victory and the continuation of an illusory democratic facade.
