WIREDGOV

As election season looms in Russia, the Central Election Commission's chosen opponents to the president will help to boost Putin’s narrative that he is the sole person capable of navigating Russia through this turbulent period.

In a country rocked by severe uncertainty over its future, the results of Russia’s upcoming elections are a lamentable certainty to all external observers of Russian politics. Since making constitutional changes in 2020, Putin has made it abundantly clear that he intends to cling to the reins of power in perpetuity. There is certainly no strong evidence to suggest that this election season should be any different.

The Importance of Elections in Russia

An authoritarian leader such as Putin requires displays of popularity to claim a mandate to rule. While the president remains firmly in control of Russia, elections are an essential tool in demonstrating his legitimacy among the Russian population.

According to government data, since his accession to the presidency in 2000, Putin has enjoyed an approval rating ranging between 60% and 90%. Regardless of the credibility of such data, the incumbent president has received very little challenge to his authority apart from fringe elements such as Alexei Navalny, founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. This is by no means a coincidence; Putin’s extreme centralisation of power, combined with Russian voters’ consistent apathy towards politics, allows for little galvanisation of anti-government movements.

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