Presidential Race
In a significant development, two presidential hopefuls in Russia have chosen to withdraw from the upcoming March election, redirecting their supporters to cast their votes in favor of President Vladimir Putin’s re-election bid. Sergei Baburin, the leader of the Russian All-People’s Union, an extra-parliamentary conservative party, made this announcement shortly after submitting the requisite 100,000 signatures of endorsement mandated by election authorities.
Baburin, recognizing the importance of unity during challenging times for the country, urged fellow nationalists to rally around Putin as the national leader. His call for unity included a specific appeal to continue efforts related to Russia’s war aims, emphasizing the need to complete the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine, in alignment with Russia’s ongoing conflict with its neighbor.
Having previously contested in Russia’s 2018 presidential election, where he secured only 1% of the vote, Baburin’s withdrawal marks a strategic move in support of consolidating political strength behind Putin.
Simultaneously, the conservative Democratic Party of Russia, represented in parliament for the last time in 1995, announced that its candidate, Irina Sviridova, failed to gather the required 100,000 signatures, rendering her ineligible to run. The party’s chairman, Alexander Zorin, affirmed their decision to endorse Putin in the upcoming race.
Russia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has registered four candidates so far, with Putin and three members from political parties represented in the country’s parliament.
The withdrawal of these two candidates underscores the political landscape’s alignment towards supporting Putin’s candidacy, reinforcing expectations that he is well-positioned to secure his fifth presidential term during the March 15-17 election. Overall, two presidential race contenders withdraw, rally supporters to vote for Vladimir Putin’s re-election in March election.
