Boris Nadezhdin, the former State Duma member and outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, has made a significant stride in his bid to challenge Putin in Russia’s upcoming presidential election. Nadezhdin, submitted more than 100,000 signatures to Russia’s Central Election Commission (CEC), a move that, at least in theory, secures him a spot on the March ballot.
Standing in front of towering stacks of boxes filled with the signatures of Russian citizens, Nadezhdin conveyed his gratitude on his Telegram channel, writing, “This is my pride – the work of thousands of people over many sleepless days. The result of the queues you stood in in the freezing cold is in those boxes.”
Despite the seemingly monumental task of collecting signatures across a country as vast as Russia, Nadezhdin announced that he had not only reached but exceeded the required threshold, claiming to have gathered 208,000 signatures in total. His supporters, undeterred by winter’s chill, queued across the nation, illustrating a palpable undercurrent of opposition to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The electoral commission will review the legitimacy of the signatures over the next few days. The scrutiny can be exacting, and in the past, potential contenders have been disqualified for supposed irregularities. For example, independent politician Yekaterina Duntsova was barred from running in December when the commission cited errors in her paperwork.
Putin, running as an independent rather than as the candidate of the ruling United Russia party, requires 300,000 signatures. However, his supporters have already gathered over 3.5 million.
The CEC’s decision on Nadezhdin’s candidacy will be a telling moment. It will signal whether the Kremlin is willing to maintain by permitting his participation, despite his no-holds-barred critique of Putin’s war. With recent years having witnessed the incarceration or exile of prominent opposition figures, the electoral commission’s verdict will be closely watched.
Sergei Baburin from the Russian conservative All-People’s Union withdrew Tuesday after submitting his signatures, calling for unity with Putin during a challenging period for Russia. He also ran in the previous campaign, securing 1% of the vote. The conservative Democratic Party of Russia put forward its candidate, Irina Sviridova while expressing support for Putin as well.
The Russian election is scheduled for March 15 to 17.
Relevant articles:
– Putin challenger submits bid to run for Russian president
– Boris Nadezhdin: Putin critic and anti-war candidate submits 105,000 signatures for Russian presidential election bid, CNN, Wed, 31 Jan 2024 15:26:00 GMT
– Ukraine war critic submits bid to challenge Putin for Russia’s presidency, Al Jazeera English, Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:01:52 GMT
– Putin challenger submits 105,000 signatures backing his election campaign, POLITICO Europe, Wed, 31 Jan 2024 13:35:00 GMT