What to expect after Putin’s win

MOSCOW: Vladimir Putin has a stronger hold on Russia — and stronger place in the world — thanks to a mandate for yet another term as president.

His domestic opponents are resigned to another six years in the shadows. Even widespread voting violations are unlikely to dent Putin’s armour. And accusations that he meddled in the US election and sponsored a nerve agent attack in Britain have only bolstered his standing at home.

Despite a friendly-ish relationship with US President Donald Trump, Putin’s new mandate gives him little incentive to seek entente with Washington.

Putin-friendly leaders have made gains in recent Italian and German elections. Western countries are likely to see more Russia-linked hacking and propaganda aimed at disrupting elections or otherwise discrediting democracy.

Russian-backed Syrian forces helped rout the Islamic State from Syria, and Putin argues that Russia saved the day in a conflict that had confounded US-led forces fighting against IS. Now those Russian-backed Syrian forces are closing in on the last strongholds of Western-backed rebel forces.

An emboldened Putin could position the military as a peacemaker in other regional conflicts — for example in Libya, where Russia has oil interests.

The biggest question for Russians over the next six years is what happens after that. Putin is constitutionally required to step down in 2024, but he could eliminate term limits, or anoint a malleable successor and continue to run things behind the scenes.

PLEDGES TO REDUCE MILITARY SPENDING

A day after winning the presidential elections with a landslide, Putin said Russia would cut its military spending.

“We have plans to decrease our defence spending both this year and next. But this will not lead to any decline in the country’s defence capacity,” he said during a meeting with other candidates.

“We will not allow for any sort of arms race,” he said.