Russia has once again voted in favour of the constitutional changes which thereby allow Vladimir Putin to run for President again. In view of this, Putin could hold office as President until 2036. A total of 65% of the population exercised their voting rights in the election, which bore the following results: 78% voted in favour of the amendments and 21% voted against.
Putin has yet to decide whether he will contest again in the upcoming elections of 2024 and 2030 respectively. If he chooses to do so, he would become the person who has held the office of President in Russia the longest, exceeding Joseph Stalin’s and Peter the Great’s rule.
Opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, has stated that according to him, the results were rigged, so much so that he called out Putin’s own supporters to take to the streets and protest. The election was supposed to be held in April 2020, however, due to the pandemic, it was postponed, with members of the public being able to vote seven days after the actual date, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
ESO - European Studies Organisation 