MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to run for another term in the upcoming presidential election as an independent candidate rather than representing the ruling United Russia (UR) party, according to statements from two senior pro-Kremlin lawmakers on Saturday.
Having held power as either president or prime minister for over two decades, Putin has officially declared his intention to seek another six-year term in the March 2023 election, widely expected to secure a comfortable victory.
Despite having the complete support of the United Russia party, Putin has opted to run independently, as confirmed by Andrei Turchak, a senior UR party official. Sergei Mironov, a senior politician from the Just Russia party, also expressed support for Putin’s independent candidacy, indicating that signatures would be collected in his favor.
Putin’s Dominance in Russian Politics
The move is seen as a formality, given Putin’s longstanding dominance in Russian politics, state-backed media support, and a limited presence of mainstream public dissent. At the age of 71, Putin remains a highly influential figure in Russian politics.
Supporters of Putin highlight his role in restoring order, national pride, and reestablishing some of Russia’s lost influence following the tumultuous Soviet collapse. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, referred to by Putin as a “special military operation,” is justified, according to his backers.
In recent years, a crackdown on political opponents and critics, coupled with sweeping laws targeting “fake news” and “discrediting the army,” has led to the imprisonment or exile of dissenting voices.
