Racist criticism, nationalism and orthodox positions… another face of anti-Russian

The first opponent of Vladimir Putin, who died on Friday, sometimes made controversial comments from an ideological point of view.

A series of tributes to Alexei Navalny have followed since the announcement of the Russian rival’s death on Friday 16 February. “Courage makes a man”, According to MEP Raphael Glucksmann. “Honor his resistance”At X writes Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Marine Le Pen offers her condolences to the political activist’s family “Committed to the Defense of Democracy”. But Alexei Navalny has also made controversial statements.

In 2007, in a clip from the Russian National Liberation Movement, which he had just founded, we see Alexei Navalny in a white coat, in a dentist’s office. Images of migrants appear on the screen, interspersed with X-rays of dental caries. “In that caseHe tells the camera, I recommend thorough disinfection. Whatever stands in our way must be removed by banishment.”

Compared to the Chechen Muslim minority cockroaches

Then a montage with migrants at the airport, then the plane takes off. An adviser to Alexei Navalny confirmed years later that the activist regretted the video. In another, still for his movement, he compares the Chechen Muslim minority to cockroaches, throwing himself at a man, shouting, before shooting him dead. “God is great”.

In dating clips from the late 2000s, when Alexei Navalny defined himself as “National Democracy”, we see him participating in a rally to bring together Russian nationalists. Starting in 2011, he created an anti-corruption foundation, before changing his tune and focusing his attacks on the Kremlin.

But Alexei Navalny maintains some of his conservative positions. In 2013, he made the fight against illegal immigration his campaign theme for municipal elections in Moscow, which he lost. It provides a visa system for citizens of the countries of the former USSR, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, who want to settle in Russia.