(NewsSpace.com) – Russian President Vladimir Putin rose to power in 1999, when he took over after Boris Yeltsin resigned unexpectedly on New Year’s Eve. He was then elected as Russia’s leader in 2000, a position he has held for the last 23 years, except for a brief stint as prime minister. Now, the country has announced its upcoming election date for next year, and Putin is in a position where he could win again.
Putin’s Rise to Power
Putin started out as a KGB officer, the main security agency for the Soviet Union. When the USSR fell in 1991, he worked his way into politics, becoming close with first Anatoly Aleksandrovich Sobchak, then Boris Yeltsin. In 1999, Putin became prime minister; he rose even further when Yeltsin resigned unexpectedly, and he held the position of power until 2008. He served as prime minister for four years, then, in 2012, became president again.
In April 2021, Putin signed a law that allowed him to serve two more terms, which would put him in office—as long as he wins the elections—until 2036. He was instrumental the year prior in orchestrating the constitutional changes that would bring about the law. Now, he’s running again and will probably win.
2024 Election Date Announced
On Thursday, December 7, Russia’s upper parliamentary house, the Federation Council, voted to make March 17, 2024, the next election day. Some speculated as to whether Putin would run since he didn’t announce his candidacy right away, as expected. However, by Friday, he made it clear he was taking another shot at the presidency.
The move is largely symbolic, since Putin doesn’t have any real challengers. Most of those who would stand against him have either been exiled or jailed. Plus, the lack of independent media in Russia means that citizens are left in the dark as to the true state of the nation’s circumstances. Those who would challenge the narrative face consequences.
Then, there’s the fact that Putin has a high approval rating. The war in Ukraine has only bolstered his numbers, and the failed rebellion by Yevgeny Prigozhin didn’t cause them to falter.
Despite facing an uphill battle that requires either a party nomination or tens of thousands of signatures, two people have made their intentions to run clear: lawyer and journalist Yekaterina Duntsova and council member Boris Nadezhdin.
Opposition Speaks Out
There is one person who is braving the chance to speak out, and that’s opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He’s calling on people to “disrupt his plans and make it happen so that no one on March 17 is interested in the rigged result.”
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