Vladimir Putin Declares Candidacy as Independent for 2024 Presidency
Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted his candidacy documents to Russia’s Central Election Commission for the 2024 presidential election, running as an independent candidate, as reported by ABC News.
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin personally submitted the required documents. In accordance with Russian election laws, independent candidates must be nominated by a group of at least 500 supporters and gather a minimum of 300,000 signatures of support from 40 or more regions.
Putin’s nomination group included top officials from the United Russia party, Russian celebrities, athletes, and other public figures who have expressed their support for him.
Putin has employed different strategies in previous elections. In 2018, he ran as an independent and collected signatures for his campaign. In 2012, he ran as the nominee of the Kremlin’s United Russia party and did not require signatures.
Lawmakers in Russia recently scheduled the country’s 2024 presidential election for March 17, bringing Putin closer to a potential fifth term in office. Constitutional reforms orchestrated by Putin make him eligible for two additional six-year terms, potentially extending his rule until 2036.
Given Putin’s control over Russia’s political system and limited dissent, his reelection in March is widely anticipated. Critics who could challenge him are either imprisoned or living abroad, and independent media faces severe restrictions.
Supporters argue that Putin has restored order, national pride, and Russian influence lost during the Soviet collapse. The ongoing crackdown on dissent, coupled with new laws targeting “fake news” and “discrediting the army,” has led to the imprisonment or exile of critics and opposition figures.
