You don’t have to be a Russia expert to suspect that Vladimir Putin will have virtually no opposition in next year’s Russian presidential elections. This was also confirmed on Tuesday by his spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who emphasized on the sidelines of a visit to China that Putin is “undoubtedly number one” in Russia.
“In my personal opinion, he has no rivals at the moment and not in the Russian Federation,” Peskov continued. Putin and Peskov are currently participating in the Silk Road summit in Beijing, and a meeting with Chinese state and party leader Xi Jinping is scheduled for Wednesday. Putin met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Tuesday morning.
Putin’s candidacy is not yet official
Putin has not yet officially announced whether he will run again for the elections in the spring of 2024. The 71-year-old wants to announce his decision at the end of this year. According to Russian media reports, the elections could take place on March 17 and parliament will set the date at the end of this year.
Theoretically, Putin could remain in power until 2036
Putin began his first term as president in 2000. In between, he served as prime minister for four years before being re-elected as head of state in 2012 and 2018. As a result of a constitutional reform adopted in 2020 at Putin’s initiative, the president could theoretically remain in office until 2036.
Since the offensive in Ukraine, Russia has further stepped up repression against the opposition. Putin’s main domestic political opponents are in prison or, like many war opponents, have been forced into exile.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
