Arr! Blimey! Russia be havin' 2 scallywags challengin' the mighty Putin in the next election, mateys!
2024-01-06
Arrr! The Russian scallywags be havin' two challengers to face our mighty Captain Vladimir Putin in the grand March 2024 election for the pirate's helm. Let the rum flow and the cannons blast, for an adventurous battle awaits!
Russia's election commission has registered two candidates to challenge President Vladimir Putin in the upcoming 2024 elections. The candidates, Leonid Slutsky and Vladislav Davankov, were approved for the March election by officials this week. Slutsky is the head of the state Duma's foreign affairs committee, while Davankov serves as the deputy speaker for the state Duma. However, despite being rivals for the top executive position, both candidates are seen as mere token opposition by analysts.Putin, who submitted his nomination papers last month, is widely expected to win the election. He remains hugely popular in Russia, especially with the onset of the war against Ukraine. Statista reports that he currently has an approval rating of 82%. Putin has held positions as president or prime minister since 1999, with his previous stint as president running from 2000 to 2008.
Not all individuals seeking to run against Putin have been given clearance to stand for election. Yekaterina Duntsova, a former TV journalist and Ukraine War critic, had her candidacy application rejected by the country's electoral commission. Duntsova, who wanted to run on a platform to end the war with Ukraine, was disqualified due to "numerous violations" in her submitted papers.
In summary, while two candidates have been registered to challenge Putin in the upcoming elections, they are seen as token opposition. Putin's popularity remains high, and not all individuals seeking to run against him have been granted clearance.