Russia’s elections commission has said it found “dead souls” among the more than 100,000 signatures of support submitted by Boris Nadezhdin, the sole anti-war candidate in next month’s presidential election, in a sign that he could be disqualified from a carefully managed ballot meant to deliver victory for Vladimir Putin.

Nadezhdin, a veteran politician who has associated with Kremlin insiders and the opposition to Putin, has been waging a last-minute campaign to get on the ballot for the election, with thousands of Russians standing for hours in the freezing cold to add their signature in his support.

While Nadezhdin has not yet been disqualified, Friday’s briefing at the central elections commission indicated that he could be removed in the run-up to the vote. He has been summoned to the commission on Monday for a review of the “errors” among his signatures.

Archive

  • andrew_bidlaw
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    10 months ago

    And 2,5k limit per subject of Russian Federation meaning you need loads of money to collect them in every region or republic. This garden is walled just like a Gulag. It’s surprising he got them with all these barriers.

    What also makes me wonder is that Putin has a thing for running independent meaning he needs 300k. And there were many photoes of his signing posts remaining vacant. Still, no doubt he’d get there.

    • Allero@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      10 months ago

      Nah I even believe Putin can genuinely get 300.000 signatures. Unlike other candidates, he’s already known to everyone in Russia (meaning 0,2% active support is enough), and sure as hell the signatures will be accepted.

      • uis@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        10 months ago

        What he means is if Putin got 300k signatures there would be much longer lines to sign for Putin than for Nadezhdin. But there wen’t any.

        • Allero@lemmy.today
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          10 months ago

          There were way more points installed to vote for Putin than for Nadezhdin (the latter literally has one point for entire Saint Petersburg afaik). I’ve seen people signing for Putin, didn’t count the numbers, though.

          • andrew_bidlaw
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            10 months ago

            Won’t doubt or argue, since I can’t tell your lie from your truth on the internet. My observations were different. But in the end it doesn’t matter.

            Because Putin has all his state workers and clients to vote. Schools, prisons, psych wards, police, municipal bodies. There’s something like 3-5kk of cops, rosgvardia, siloviky. Even if no one would visit public bins, they’d make the bank.

            My amusement is caused by his relentless want to run as an independent and get this 300k. I think he has some thing for feeling he’s supported by his loyal people and measures the work of his governors by who brings more to the table.

            • Allero@lemmy.today
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              10 months ago

              Sure budget workers would be pressed to leave those if there would not be enough, and Putin’s gonna get his way anyway.

              I think running this way makes his power appear more legitimate to some people, which is why he does this. Just one more minor point in his hold on power that doesn’t cost him much.

                • Allero@lemmy.today
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  2
                  ·
                  10 months ago

                  Appearing legitimate is crucial for any dictator, so why not. Or do you mean if he wants to hold on for power any further? Then he doesn’t have much of a choice - either lead or be held responsible for all of the caused atrocities.