Boris Nadezhdin, the Civic Initiative Party presidential hopeful, gestures during a meeting at the Central Election Commission in Moscow on Feb. 8.A liberal Russian politician on Wednesday lost another appeal against election officials’ decision to bar him from running in next month’s presidential vote in whichhis main campaign slogan and authorities’ refusal to register him for the race underlined the Kremlin’s repugnance of any public opposition to its action.
The commission declared earlier this month that more than 9,000 signatures submitted by Nadezhdin’s campaign were invalid — enough to disqualify him. Russia’s election rules say potential candidates can have no more than 5% of their submitted signatures thrown out. Putin, 71, who is running as an independent candidate, relies on a tight control over Russia’s political system that he has established during 24 years in power.
With prominent critics who could challenge him either jailed or living abroad and most independent media banned, Putin’s reelection is all but assured. He faces a token opposition from three other candidates nominated by Kremlin-friendly parties represented in parliament.