ASIATODAY.ID, MOSKWA – President Vladimir Putin won a landslide victory in the Russian elections held on Sunday, March 17 2024.
For Putin, the election results underscore to the West that they must reckon with Russia’s courage in the future. However, the United States (US) said the vote was not free and fair.
These initial results mean that Putin will immediately get another 6 year term in office which will allow him to overtake Josef Stalin and become Russia’s longest serving leader for more than 200 years.
According to a poll by the Public Opinion Foundation, Putin won 87.8% of the vote, the highest result in Russia’s post-Soviet history. Meanwhile, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center puts Putin at 87%.
In this election, Putin is facing three rivals who are also very pro-Kremlin. First, Leonid Slutsky who has been Chairman of the Ultra-Nationalist Liberal Democrats of Russia (LDPR) since 2022. He also serves as a senior deputy of the State Duma or Legislative Council of Russia’s Lower House.
Putin’s second competitor, namely Vladislav Davankov, is a Russian politician who has served as deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma since 2021. Davankov represents the Russian New People party in the Duma.
Third, Nikolai Kharitonov is the oldest candidate to run for president of Russia. Kharitonov is from the Russian Communist Party and has served in the State Duma since 1994.
Putin has served four terms as president of Russia. He was first elected in 2000 and 2004, before serving as prime minister under then-president Dmitry Medvedev between 2008 and 2012. He held power for two more terms after winning presidential elections in 2012 and 2018.
In 2020, a constitutional amendment allowed Putin to remain in power until 2036. (ATN)
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