Putin wins fifth election
On 17 March, it was announced that Vladimir Putin had been elected president of Russia for the fifth time. However, people around the world, including high-ranking politicians, said the election was unfair.
What happened?
According to election officials, Putin won around 88% of votes, and 74% of people who are old enough to vote took part. Putin has been Russia’s president since 2012, although he also held the role between 1999 and 2008. On 17 March, thousands of people gathered in Red Square, Moscow, to celebrate Putin’s victory and listen to him give a speech.
Many Russians protested against the election, and thousands of people turned up at polling stations (where people go to vote) to vote for candidates running against Putin. Some “spoiled” their ballot papers, which usually means writing a message of protest on the paper instead of voting properly.
There were protests in other countries, too. Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Alexei Navalny, attended one in Berlin, Germany. Navalny was Putin’s most famous critic, but he died in a Russian prison last month. Many people blame Putin for Navalny’s death.
Why have the elections been criticised?
Political experts and world leaders say that the elections weren’t held fairly. This is partly because voters had no real choice. The three candidates who ran against Putin broadly supported his policies. A politician called Boris Nadezhdin, who is critical of Russia’s war in Ukraine, had announced he wanted to run for election. However, Russian authorities said they had found problems with his application and barred him from taking part.
In Russia, media coverage by television news and newspapers is mostly controlled by the government. This means it doesn’t criticise Putin or his officials. It is therefore difficult for many Russians to find out what’s really going on. Holding an election has allowed Putin to show people in Russia that he has support and is a strong leader, despite lots of people saying it wasn’t fair.
What was the reaction?
Putin said his win will allow Russia to become “stronger and more effective”. He said his main tasks as president will be strengthening the military and his country’s ability to defend itself. The election received lots of international criticism.
The UK’s Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, said there had been a “lack of choice for voters” and added, “This is not what free and fair elections look like.” Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Adviser, said, “Nothing about the election outcome was unpredictable.”
What happens next?
Putin is now set to serve as president until 2030. It’s expected he will continue the war with Ukraine and seek to further strengthen his authority in Russia. However, his country is facing many problems. A huge amount of Russia’s money is being spent on war. As a result, everyday services like healthcare and education are struggling.