Putin’s opponent Boris Nadezhdin will apparently be banned from running in Russia’s March presidential election – the critic of Ukraine’s war effort has said his candidacy has been rejected.
Nadezhdin said on the Telegram text message service that he would appeal the decision of the Central Election Commission to the Supreme Court of Russia.
The authorities criticized signature lists
The election commission justified the rejection by saying that many of the signature lists required for candidacy were incorrect. The authority declared 9,000 signatures invalid from a sample of 60,000 signatures. The share of invalid signatures is therefore 15 percent, a maximum of five percent would be allowed.
The liberal politician defended himself against the authority’s accusation: “I do not agree with the decision of the election leadership,” he explained. The signatures for him were collected “openly and honestly”.
The BBC and the independent Russian media in exile “Meduza” reported that the decision was not yet final – it was still a recommendation and not the formal final decision. However, due to the formal error, it is assumed that the Electoral Commission’s recommendation will be followed.
War opponents have no intention of giving up the annexed areas
Nadezhdin is considered a sharp critic of the war of invasion of Ukraine. He announced that he wanted to end hostilities in his office as president, but that the annexed territories should remain under Russian control. The presidential elections are scheduled for March 15 and 17, 2024.
Putin’s only serious competitor
Nadezhdin would have been Putin’s only potential competitor: the liberal politician had become increasingly popular. Many of his supporters support him to legally raise their voices against the war. Besides the incumbent President Vladimir Putin, there are only three other candidates who directly support the president or do not have their own political profile.
In order to return to power, Putin even had the constitution amended in 2020. According to the current version, he can run for president for the last time in 2030.
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.
