MOSCOW, Russia – The Central Election Commission in Russia rejected antiwar politician Boris Nadezhdin as a candidate in next month’s presidential election, signaling the Kremlin’s resistance to any public opposition to the invasion of Ukraine. This decision provides President Vladimir Putin with an even smoother path to securing a fifth term in power, with token opposition from pro-Kremlin candidates in the March 15-17 vote. Putin’s tight control of Russia’s political system virtually guarantees his victory.
Nadezhdin, a local legislator near Moscow, fell short of the requirement to gather at least 100,000 signatures of supporters. The election commission declared that over 9,000 signatures submitted by Nadezhdin’s campaign were invalid, disqualifying him. Russia’s election rules state that potential candidates can only have up to 5% of their submitted signatures thrown out.
Among his campaign promises, Nadezhdin advocated for peace talks with Kyiv and a shift towards working with the West, rather than confrontation. Despite being denied the opportunity to run, Nadezhdin emphasized the desire for change among many Russians. He implored election officials to reconsider their decision but was ultimately declined. He plans to appeal his disqualification in court.
The decision to keep Nadezhdin off the ballot highlights the challenges faced by potential opposition figures in Russia. Most of them have been imprisoned or exiled, and the majority of independent Russian media outlets have been banned under Putin’s regime.
Several candidates are running against Putin next month, all nominated by parties represented in parliament and not required to collect signatures. These parties largely support the Kremlin’s policies, with one of the candidates having run against Putin in 2004, coming in second place.
The rejection of Nadezhdin as a candidate is unlikely to spark protests, as demonstrations have been rare in Russia and are difficult to organize without government authorization. Meanwhile, exiled opposition activists continue to advocate for their supporters to show their opposition by participating in the elections.
Concerns over the legitimacy of Putin’s overwhelming popularity and the impact of his regime’s propaganda efforts on voters have been raised by opposition strategists. They hope that voters showing up at the same time on election day will demonstrate the extent of the opposition and counter the propaganda that misrepresents Putin’s level of support.