Putin wins fourth term with record vote

MOSCOW: Vladimir Putin was yesterday set for another six years in power after his landslide victory in Russia’s presidential election but so far only close allies have congratulated him as Moscow’s relations with the West disintegrate.

Putin recorded his best performance at the polls with 76.67% of votes but rejected the idea of staying in power indefinitely.

The opposition said the results were rigged, reporting ballot stuffing and other cases of alleged fraud as the Kremlin pushed for a high turnout to give greater legitimacy to Putin’s historic fourth term.

Putin, who has extended his power until at least 2024 and is already Russia’s longestserving leader since Stalin, ruled out remaining president for life.

“Listen to me. It seems to me that what you are saying is a bit funny,” he told reporters on Sunday when asked if he saw himself running for president again in 2030.

“What, am I going to sit here until I am 100 years old? No.”

The Russian strongman ran against seven other candidates, but his most vocal critic Alexei Navalny was barred from the ballot for legal reasons and the final outcome was never in doubt.

“I see in this (result) the confidence and hope of our people,” Putin said in an address to a crowd of supporters on a square next to the Kremlin after exit polls put him on track for a resounding victory.

Turnout was at more than 67% as authorities used both the carrot and the stick to boost engagement in the polls.

Selfie competitions, giveaways, food festivals and children’s entertainers were laid on at polling stations in a bid to create a festive atmosphere around the election.

But employees of state and private firms reported coming under pressure to vote.

According to central election commission data with 99.8% of ballots counted, Putin took 76.67% of the vote, well ahead of his nearest competitor Communist Party candidate Pavel Grudinin, who was on 11.79%.

Ultra-nationalist firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovsky took 5.66%, followed by former reality TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak (1.67%), and veteran liberal politician Grigory Yavlinsky (1%). – AFP