Who are the main candidates in the election that Vladimir Putin will win?

Amid the war in Ukraine launched by Moscow two years ago, Russian voters will have to decide on the name of the future president from Friday March 15 to Sunday March 17. The outcome of the vote is beyond doubt, and Vladimir Putin is already guaranteed to run for a fifth term. Eight candidates were in the running during the last election, in 2018, when the Kremlin’s mercenary won by a wide margin, far ahead of the Communist candidate (11.8%). This time again, systemic opposition tolerated by the Kremlin should divide a few votes without much ambition.

Five parties can nominate candidates, without the need to provide citizen sponsor signatures (United Russia, Liberal Democratic Party, Communist Party, New People and Fair Russia). On the other hand, political figures invested by other parties must collect between 100,000 and 105,000 signatures from citizens to represent themselves. This was the case of liberal Boris Nadezhdin (Civil Initiative), whose candidacy was ultimately rejected. After all, “Independent” had to collect 300,000 sponsorships – this is the case for Vladimir Putin. We present to you four main candidates, approved by the Russian Election Commission.

Vladimir Putin (independent candidate)

Collecting more than 300,000 signatures was a formality for the Kremlin tenant. His team claims that the president collected ten times more, even though the collection points set up here and there in public places, often stand empty. Vladimir Putin, 71, should easily win a new six-year mandate, which would allow him to stay in the Kremlin until 2030 (or until 2036 if he is still a candidate next time). Elected in 2018 with 76.7% of the vote, the leader must fill in once again.

Leonid Slutsky (Liberal Democratic Party)

At the head of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LPDR), a nationalist and conservative party, Leonid Slutsky, 56, is running his campaign on the themes of small businesses, real estate ownership and standards. He does not blame the President at all, on the contrary. “I dream of victory for our military operation (in Ukraine)No Victory Against Putin”He said in late December, according to the RIA Novosti news agency.

“Our task is to ensure that the election of the head of state is as legitimate as possible”, clearly sums up LPDR MP Sergei Leonov, who willingly takes on this role of foil for his candidate. anyway, “All currently registered support (Vladimir) Putin to one degree or another”But at the end of January the web media Vidsboku is known as a candidate’s assistant.

“Vladimir Putin is the most influential politician on Earth.”

Leonid Slutsky, LPDR presidential candidate

RIA Novosti

So Leonid Slotsky’s mission is to sway public opinion by increasing the number of trips in this election. The LPDR will also aim to take second place, traditionally reserved for the Communist Party. Which the Kremlin will also look favorably on, writes independent Russian-speaking media Meduza, citing sources inside the regional administration and LPDR. But the MP comes from far away. According to the Public Opinion Research Center, only 18% of those surveyed trust Vladimir Putin, compared to 80% for him. VTsIOM.

In an attempt to make a name for himself, he makes scathing comments on current news. After the scandal surrounding the lack of jet-set evenings, Leonid Slutsky significantly proposed depriving artists of their honorary titles if they behaved “unacceptable”. The politician was also accused of sexual harassment by several female journalists (BBC, RTVI, Dojd, etc.), but was never cleared by the Duma Ethics Committee.

Nikolai Kharitonov (Communist Party)

Aged 75, Nikolai Kharitonov was chosen to defend the Communist Party’s traditional candidacy. Since it is a parliamentary party, the veteran politician was exempted from collecting signatures. Already a candidate 20 years ago, in 2004 (13.8%), he then gave way to Gennady Zyoganov.

This former agriculturalist ran a collective farm in the Novosibirsk region for more than twenty years before participating in the formation of the Agrarian Party, then joining the Communist Party. Nikolai Kharitonov also held the rank of FSB colonel in the 2000s. One of his nephews also died fighting in Ukraine last July.

In particular, he proposed nationalization and measures to encourage industry. There is little interest in this disappointing candidacy, as the Communist Party actually supports the Kremlin’s policies. It is difficult to believe in the success of his campaign, even if it is called a “victory”. “I don’t exclude that he may campaign for Vladimir Putin himself as the campaign progresses.”This is the estimate of a Russian analyst quoted by the Novosibirsk daily. “I can’t say I’m better than Putin”A related person revealed in late December, According to Russian media Sota Vision. Nikolai Kharitonov’s mission, in any case, is limited to winning second place. A task even more delicate as the Kremlin appears to be looking for a new electoral servant.