Russia’s ruling occasion backs Putin’s reelection bid whereas a pro-peace candidate clears first hurdle

MOSCOW — Delegates from Russia’s ruling occasion unanimously backed President Vladimir Putin’s bid for reelection at a celebration convention in Moscow on Sunday, state businesses reported, only a day after the Kremlin chief’s supporters formally nominated him to run within the 2024 presidential election as an unbiased.

A bit of-known Russian presidential hopeful who requires peace in Ukraine additionally inched nearer to formally registering as a candidate, securing a nomination from a gaggle of greater than 500 supporters in the Russian capital.

Dmitry Medvedev, United Russia’s chairman and a former Russian president and prime minister, known as on fellow occasion members to “mobilize all activists and supporters” in assist of Putin earlier than the vote, scheduled for March 15-17, in accordance with stories by Russian state businesses.

In a speech on the convention, Medvedev referred to Putin as “our candidate,” and asserted that his reelection for a fifth time period as head of state “should be absolutely logical, legitimate and absolutely indisputable.”

“We must mobilize all activists, all supporters in order to prevent any disruptions during the election campaign, stop any attempts to influence the course of the campaign from the outside, arrange provocations, disseminate false, harmful information or violate public order,” Medvedev stated.

Analysts have described Putin’s reelection as all however assured, given the tight management he has established over Russia’s political system throughout his 24 years in energy. Prominent critics who may problem him on the poll are both in jail or residing overseas, and most unbiased media have been banned inside Russia.

On Saturday, a gaggle together with prime officers from the United Russia occasion, distinguished Russian actors, singers, athletes and different public figures formally nominated Putin to run as an unbiased.

The nomination by a gaggle of no less than 500 supporters is obligatory underneath Russian election regulation for these not working on a celebration ticket. Independent candidates additionally want to collect signatures from no less than 300,000 supporters in 40 or extra Russian areas.

Hours earlier than United Russia delegates introduced their endorsement of Putin on Sunday, a former journalist and mom-of-three from a small city in western Russia cleared the preliminary hurdle, in accordance with Telegram updates by Sota, a Russian information publication overlaying the opposition, protests and human rights points. Yekaterina Duntsova’s candidacy was formally backed by a gaggle of 521 supporters at a gathering in Moscow, Sota reported.

A former native legislator who requires peace in Ukraine and the discharge of imprisoned Kremlin critics, Duntsova has spoken of being “afraid” following the launch of her bid for the presidency, and fears that Russian authorities would possibly break up the supporters’ assembly set to advance it.

According to Sota, electrical energy briefly went out on the venue the place Duntsova’s supporters had been gathered, however the assembly was in any other case unimpeded.

The Kremlin chief has used completely different election techniques over time. He ran as an unbiased in 2018 and his marketing campaign gathered signatures. In 2012, he ran as a United Russia nominee as a substitute.

At least one occasion – A Just Russia, which has 27 seats within the 450-seat State Duma – was keen to appoint Putin as its candidate this yr. But its chief, Sergei Mironov, was quoted by the state information company RIA Novosti on Saturday as saying that Putin might be working as an unbiased and might be gathering signatures.

Under constitutional reforms he orchestrated, the 71-year-old Putin is eligible to hunt two extra six-year phrases after his present time period expires subsequent yr, doubtlessly permitting him to stay in energy till 2036.