- Putin secures 87% victory
- Continuation of current policies expected
- High confidence, no opposition
Regarding forecasts, a landslide for Putin was the effortless one.
In that case, neither a crystal ball nor tea leaves are necessary.
Ultimately, the Kremlin exercises strict control over the entire political system in Russia, including elections.
Putin, however, will only do a little with his 87%. What might a fifth term of Putin entail?
Putin 5.0 might not be all that dissimilar to Putin 4.0.
Do not anticipate an “Abracadabra moment” in which the hawk transforms into a dove with the wave of a magic wand.
President Putin will probably persist in his present trajectory of international strife and domestic repression.
As Putin advances his metamorphosis of Russia into an ever more militarised society, this likely entails an ideological campaign on the domestic front and a continuation of the conflict in Ukraine, in addition to a confrontation with the West.
Already, the Russian civil society is experiencing tremendous duress. That could very well escalate.
The 87% is a significant percentage.
Indeed, Western leaders will still need to be convinced that this accurately reflects Putin’s present popularity.
Regarding the Russian presidential election, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron remarked, “This does not resemble free and fair elections.”
However, from a domestic standpoint, this enables the Kremlin to assert that Vladimir Putin has garnered the support of the entire nation and that he has the unwavering backing of the people.
His ability to assert a popular mandate for his military campaign in Ukraine and the trajectory he is guiding Russia is of the utmost importance.
Vladimir Putin asserts a decisive electoral triumph despite encountering no credible opposition.
Furthermore, the 87% conveys a distinct message to the political elite of Russia: “Be aware that a single individual continues to hold authority and control over this country, and that will not be changing anytime soon.”
This is significant for Vladimir Putin as we approach the first anniversary of the Wagner mercenary group’s fleeting yet dramatic mutiny. That Yevgeny Prigozhin-led uprising presented a direct challenge to the authority of Vladimir Putin.
The commander of the Kremlin ultimately emerged victorious. Two months following the mutiny, Prigozhin perished in an aircraft accident.
Additionally, 87% serves as an excellent confidence booster. Being informed that you have secured another landslide victory as president can make you feel even more potent, if not invincible.
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Putin’s triumphant news conference on Sunday night was a luminous display of such assurance.
It was the assurance of a leader who is poised to become the most enduring Russian leader since Catherine the Great, having been in power for more than two decades and a quarter.
The assurance of a leader who successfully established a political framework that earned him 87 per cent of the vote and a fifth term as president.
He boasted that the initiative is “completely” on Russia’s side in the Ukraine conflict, where he asserts that the country has made progress; he criticised Western democracy, and he predicted that Russia would become more powerful after the elections.
Political confidence in a leader, particularly excessive confidence, can be hazardous, according to its detractors.
Particularly when checks and balances are absent from the political system of a nation.
Such individuals are scarce in contemporary Russia.
