Putin poised for fifth term victory as Russians cast their votes
As Russians participate in a multi-day presidential election, Vladimir Putin is on track to secure his fifth term in office. The Kremlin's selection of opponents presents no significant challenge to Putin's authority, ensuring a smooth reelection process for the Russian president.
Russians are going to the polls in the next three days for the presidential election. The election is expected to give Vladimir Putin a fifth term in power. His opponents, carefully selected by the Kremlin, do not pose a real threat to his legitimacy.
The voting will take place from Friday to Sunday across Russia's 11 time zones. This includes regions near Alaska in the east to Kaliningrad on the Baltic Coast in the west. The election will cover all 88 federal subjects, including areas of Ukraine that were illegally annexed by Russia after the invasion two years ago.
With many opposition candidates either deceased, imprisoned, banished, disqualified, or merely symbolic figures, Putin's victory is almost certain. He has essentially been Russia's leader since the early 2000s.
If Putin wins reelection, his leadership will continue until at least 2030. After the constitutional amendments in 2020, he could run for office again, possibly remaining in power until 2036. This would solidify his position as Russia's longest-serving leader since Joseph Stalin.
People in Chechnya, Russia, are participating in a procession to show support for the current President and presidential candidate, Vladimir Putin. The event was organized in anticipation of the upcoming presidential election. A poster with Putin's portrait displayed a slogan declaring, "Putin is always right! Vote for Putin!" The photo was taken in the Chechen capital, Grozny, on March 10, 2024. The image is credited to REUTERS/Chingis Kondarov. 
Chingis Kondarov/Reuters
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Despite some people showing defiance, there are many Russians who still support Putin as the election draws near.
The Russia Central Election Commission (CEC) has given approval for only three candidates to run against Putin. These candidates are Leonid Slutsky from the Liberal Democratic Party, Vladislav Davankov from the New People Party, and Nikolay Kharitonov from the Communist Party. It is believed that all three candidates are supportive of the Kremlin and do not oppose the invasion of Ukraine.
The opposition candidates have admitted that they are unlikely to steal many votes from the president. Slutsky, who is the candidate for the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) and was once exposed for his extravagant spending in one of Navalny's investigations, stated that he would not urge Russians to vote against Putin.
According to Slutsky, "A vote for me and LDPR is definitely not a vote against Putin."
The ruling United Russia party has announced its "full support" for President Putin. However, Putin is choosing to run as an independent candidate, positioning himself outside of party politics.
A leaflet displays the four presidential candidates.
A leaflet displays the four presidential candidates.
Stringer/AFP/Getty Images
Two prominent anti-war candidates were disqualified from running in the election. Yekaterina Duntsova was rejected by the CEC due to alleged errors in her registration documents. Boris Nadezhdin managed to submit the required 100,000 signatures to oppose Putin, but the CEC only deemed 95,587 of these signatures as legitimate.
The election took place shortly after the death of Alexey Navalny, Putin's main opponent. Navalny passed away in an Arctic penal colony on February 16. The Russian prison service stated that Navalny "felt unwell after a walk" and lost consciousness, later attributing his death to natural causes. The Kremlin denied any involvement in his death.
Navalny fell victim to poisoning from the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok, as revealed in a CNN-Bellingcat investigation which uncovered that he had been followed by a unit of the Russian Security Service (FSB) specializing in toxins and nerve agents.
Despite the heavy police presence and the risk of being arrested, thousands of mourners gathered in Moscow to pay their respects at Navalny's funeral. The atmosphere was filled with chants of his name and cries of "Putin is a killer" and "No to war." Even after the funeral, Russians continued to show their support by covering his grave with flowers.
Navalny's death cast a shadow over the elections and removed Russia's most prominent opposition figure. Despite facing a sentence of over 30 years in prison, Navalny would not have been able to challenge Putin in the elections.
In a call to action, Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, has encouraged Russians to participate in a protest by turning out on the final day of the elections on Sunday at noon.
"He took my husband's life just a month before the elections that he uses for his own agenda. The elections are nothing but a facade, a tool for Putin's propaganda. He wants to portray himself as a beloved leader, but it's all a lie. Don't fall for his deception," she shared.
A local election commission member prepares a polling station for early voting in the Republic of Karelia, March 10, 2024.
A local election commission member prepares a polling station for early voting in the Republic of Karelia, March 10, 2024.
Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images
The elections results are already known, but they still play a key role in showing Putin's legitimacy to the Russian people.
Last August, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told The New York Times that our presidential election is not really democratic, but more of an expensive bureaucracy. He also mentioned that Putin is expected to win with over 90% of the vote.
Peskov later clarified his remarks to Russian state media TASS, explaining that he was referring to the remarkable level of support for the president. He also mentioned that if Putin decides to run again, he would likely win with a large majority.
The suppression of opposition in Russia has contributed to a sense of apathy among the public. With a lack of experience in seeing power transferred between political parties in a presidential election, many Russians feel disconnected from the political process.
The war in Ukraine has started to make people pay attention. From drone attacks crossing borders to Yevgeny Prigozhin's actions in Moscow and the high cost of supporting the military, the Russian government can't shield its citizens from the impact of the conflict.
In his recent state of the nation speech, Putin praised Russia's military advancements. He mentioned that they are now in control in Ukraine, especially after Kyiv's withdrawal from Avdiivka.
"Together we are strong, we vote for Russia!" reads a billboard in Moscow's business district, March 12, 2024.
"Together we are strong, we vote for Russia!" reads a billboard in Moscow's business district, March 12, 2024.
The invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year, has turned out to be more costly than initially expected. However, despite this, it has given Putin a nationalist message that has united Russians around him.
It can be challenging to assess public opinion in authoritarian countries such as Russia. Many people are afraid to speak out against the government, and independent polling organizations and think tanks are closely monitored.
However, the Levada Center, a non-governmental polling organization, has reported that Putin's approval rating is over 80%. This is a remarkably high number, especially when compared to the ratings of Western leaders. It also shows a significant increase from the years leading up to the invasion of Ukraine.
The majority of Russians support peace talks, as indicated by Levada, despite the widespread support for the war.
Polling stations will open in Kamchatka at 8 a.m. local time on Friday (4 p.m. ET on Thursday) and will close in Kaliningrad at 8 p.m. on Sunday (2 p.m. ET), spanning over 7,000 kilometers. Early voting has already begun in remote areas and parts of occupied Ukraine since late February.
Editor's P/S:
The upcoming presidential election in Russia is a disheartening display of the country's stifled political landscape. With Putin's dominance and the lack of credible opposition, the election is a mere formality, ensuring his continued grip on power. The systematic suppression of dissent, including the silencing of Navalny, has created an atmosphere of apathy and resignation among the Russian people.
However, the war in Ukraine has brought the cost of Putin's regime into sharp focus. The invasion has united Russians around Putin's nationalist rhetoric, but it has also exposed the government's incompetence and the heavy toll it is taking on the country. The public's support for peace talks, despite their backing of the war, suggests a growing awareness of the need for change. The upcoming election may not offer a genuine choice, but it serves as a reminder of the urgent need for a democratic Russia free from Putin's authoritarian rule.
