lawrota.com

In the upcoming Russian presidential election scheduled for March 15-17, President Vladimir Putin, entrenched in power for over two decades, is set to utilize the event as a grand display of dominance to the Western world. Political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin vividly portrays the significance of this election, likening it to the meticulously orchestrated parades of athletes under Stalin’s watchful eye in Moscow’s Red Square. He emphasizes that for Putin, this isn’t merely a democratic process but a symbolic ritual, a moment of collective affirmation of his authority. Oreshkin’s metaphor extends to both candidates and voters, illustrating how all are expected to conform and march in line.

However, the supposed democratic facade of the election is marred by controversy. Anti-war candidates Yekaterina Duntsova and Boris Nadezhdin, who had garnered significant support, were disqualified due to alleged administrative errors, raising suspicions of political manipulation by the Central Election Commission. Among the approved candidates are nationalist Leonid Slutsky, communist Nikolay Kharitonov, and businessman Vladislav Davankov.

#RussianElection #Putin2024 #Authoritarianism #PoliticalTheater #DemocracyFacade #ElectionControversy

Source: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/03/15/russians-vote-in-putin-s-tailor-made-election_6620848_4.html