Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially announced his intention to run for another term in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. This move, which comes amidst the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, is set to extend Putin’s long-standing rule over Russia, which began in 1999.
Putin’s decision was revealed during an awards ceremony for army personnel at the Kremlin. The announcement was made following a suggestion by a lieutenant colonel, Artyom Zhoga, commander of the Sparta Battalion, who urged Putin to run again. The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, also noted that many people have encouraged Putin to seek re-election.
The Russian Federation Council has unanimously agreed to set March 17, 2024, as the date for the presidential election. This decision also signifies the official start of the election campaign season. The election will include voters from regions annexed by Moscow since the start of the conflict in February 2022, such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson.
President Vladimir Putin speaks in his annual televised New Year’s message after a ceremony during a visit to the headquarters of the Southern Military District, at an unknown location in Russia, on Dec. 31, 2022. Putin on Friday Dec. 8, 2023 moved to prolong his repressive and unyielding grip on Russia for another six years, announcing his candidacy in the 2024 presidential election that he is all but certain to win.(Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)
Putin, who has alternated between the roles of president and prime minister since 1999, has seen his approval ratings surge since the Ukraine war began, with the Levada Center, an independent Russian polling agency, reporting an approval rating of around 68% in July.
Constitutional amendments passed in 2021 allow Putin to seek two additional six-year terms, potentially enabling him to remain in power until at least 2036. However, the upcoming election has been met with skepticism by some, including imprisoned Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny, who has urged voters to oppose Putin, branding the election as a referendum on Putin’s actions and the war.
Putin’s long tenure has already surpassed that of any other Russian leader since Josef Stalin and has been characterized by significant control over political opposition and the media. His decision to run for another term is seen as a continuation of his strategy to maintain a firm grip on Russian power and politics.
