The last presidential elections in the Russian Federation. How can early presidential elections be held in Russia? What month will the elections take place?
It is never too early and never too late to talk about the election of the President of Russia, because this is one of the most pressing topics in political life countries. Now we can say with confidence that 2018 will be a turning point in the history of the Russian Federation, but even leading political scientists find it difficult to predict the possible results of the vote.
What month will the elections take place?
According to the constitution, the date of the event must be set for the 2nd Sunday of the month in which the previous president was elected. Therefore, in 2018, the elections will take place on Sunday, March 11. If a second round is needed, it will be held in three weeks - on April 1. Election campaign will start in December 2017.
The Kremlin said it did not intend to nominate "fresh" young candidates to increase voter interest, so Russians are waiting for the standard model with the participation of leaders of parliamentary parties. Although the emergence of a new face is not ruled out, but this will depend on the change in public sentiment after the regional referendum in September 2017. Meanwhile, the government is hoping for an all-time turnout of 70%, which suggests VV Putin's running for office.
Can Putin run for president in 2018?
By law, the current president has every right to nominate his candidacy for another term. Among voters, V.V. Putin is the main favorite, because for many years in power, he increased Russia's political and economic influence in the world, toughened the fight against corruption, improved the standard of living of a significant number of Russians, supported many laws for the development of business, healthcare, sports , education and many other areas.
His merits can be listed indefinitely. Never before have Russians lived better compared to tsarism and the stagnant years. For the first time in so many years, the people received a worthy ruler, so experiments with temporary leaders are not appropriate now. In Russia, they would rather accept a strong and powerful tsar than a "temporary worker".
We can say that this man stood at the very origins of the revival of the nation, and thanks to him, Russia managed to rise from its knees and declare itself to the whole world. Who, besides him, understands the current situation better and sees the future of a great power?
So far, Vladimir Vladimirovich himself is ambiguous about running for office. In an interview with an American television channel, he said: "It will depend on the specific situation in the country, in the world and on my own moods." But the development of recent events in the framework of international conflicts has key value for the president. In addition, the crisis situation in the country requires the adoption of many important decisions and economic reforms. Therefore, he is unlikely to be able to refuse a new term without completing all the cases.
presidential candidates
To understand who will be the next president of Russia after Putin in 2018, we need to take a closer look at the list of applicants.
A. Navalny
One of the first to announce his participation in the presidential race was A. Navalny, the head of FBK, but in February 2017, he was tried in the Kirovles case, which automatically deprives him of his right to participate. Despite this, Alexey promises to achieve the abolition litigation and take part in the race for the presidency.
V. Zhirinovsky
It is already known about the intention to run for the 6th time for the presidency of the leader of the party "LDPR" Zhirinovsky. Vladimir Volfovich repeatedly mentioned this, but you should not consider him as an independent player. the main objective— pull back a part of the electoral blanket and give it to the right hands. Also, everyone has long known the excessive populism of the politician.
G. Yavlinsky
Back in 2016, the congress of the Yabloko party decided to nominate Grigory Yavlinsky. Even a list of pre-election promises has been compiled, touching on the most pressing social and political problems. The predictions of eminent Kremlin political scientists for this party are very vague, since among Russians it enjoys a small rating - about 6%. The Yabloko themselves hope to run a brilliant campaign and earn 15% of the vote.
G. Zyuganov
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation chose the tactic of pushing the “non-replaceable” presidential candidate Zyuganov and nominating one of its colleagues: the mayor of Novosibirsk A. Lokot, the governor of the Irkutsk region. S. Levchenko or Duma deputy Y. Afonin. Despite the fact that they came into big politics after the collapse of the USSR, these are the same communists who tore apart the great Union and made capital out of it worse than any bourgeois. Such a "wolves in sheep's clothing." However, Kremlin experts predict that Zyuganov himself will take part in the elections and take 3rd place.
In the fall of 2016, the former head of Yukos, M. Khodorkovsky, made everyone laugh with his list of 13. Among the contenders for the highest post, there was not a single candidate who would be a real competitor to V. Putin in the elections. Within a few years, all Russian media they deliberately portray politicians from the opposition and Yabloko not as possible candidates for the highest office, but as “ridiculous” populists. So far, this concerns Zhirinovsky, Zyuganov, Yavlinsky and Mironov.
As for a serious "sparring partner", the Kremlin is looking for a candidate who can provide intrigue to increase the turnout and legitimacy of V. Putin's election for a 4th term. Vladimir Vladimirovich himself said that he must be young, but mature, 20 years younger (our assumptions) in order to have a margin of safety. The main goal of the authorities is to make the presidential elections in Russia interesting and competitive, and the main rival should push back candidates from parliamentary parties, take second place and secretly work for Putin's victory.
Recently, information was leaked to the media from another discussion between Kiriyenko and the Kremlin's political technologists during the election campaign that the government intends to use all the country's PR resources to raise the rating of candidate No. 2. Who will become them, read on. V. Putin should win by a large margin in the 1st round with a turnout of about 70-75%.
Putin's successor to the presidency
One question is “who will be after Putin”, and quite another is “who SHOULD become him”. Most likely, this topic is not yet on the agenda of the president himself, since he intends to run for another term. This is confirmed by the constant "leaks" of information from meetings of the presidential administration.
If candidate No. 2 can be called Putin's "receiver", then he has already been found. Most likely, this is Alexei Navalny. The Kremlin realized the impossibility of "promoting" a new politician in a short time. Despite his pro-Ukrainian stance, he is beneficial to the Kremlin for many reasons:
- Firstly, Navalny's criminal cases allow him to be convicted and removed from public politics at any time.
- Secondly, he will be able to collect the lion's share of the votes left after Putin, which excludes the possibility of a second round.
- Thirdly, the election of the President of the Russian Federation with the participation of Navalny will once again remind the voter of the threat from Ukraine and the European Union, which will further enhance Putin's image.
- And fourthly, he can unite the opposition electorate, winning over the supporters of the SR, the Communist Party, Yabloko and the Liberal Democratic Party.
To prevent Navalny or the liberals from gaining a risky number of votes, in addition to the leaders of parliamentary parties, the following contenders will be nominated:
A. Zaldostanov | leader of the biker club "Night Wolves" |
I. Strelkov | military leader of the DPR |
D.Rogozin | Member of the Rodina Party |
O.Dmitrieva | Deputy from the "Party of Growth" |
M. Suraykin | Member of the Communist Party of Russia |
V.Milonov | Orthodox activist |
M. Prokhorov | billionaire politician, entrepreneur |
According to the Kremlin, the 2018 Russian presidential election should be held without surprises. The administration is confident that candidate No. 1 V.V. Putin will gain 80% of the vote. But in 2023, we will hear the answer to our main question- "who will replace him."
There is very little time left before the presidential elections in Russia in 2018. The activity of the discussion in newspapers, the Internet and on television is increasing every week, causing more and more keen interest among the audience. Everyone is worried about when exactly the elections will take place - March 11 or 18, 2018, the candidates who will take part in the election race and whether the incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin will run.
For many months, the incumbent's team kept intriguing about the ruling party's candidacy. There were rumors that Putin was preparing a successor for himself. But, time passed, and a worthy candidate did not appear on the political arena of the country.
News #1- Vladimir Putin enters the fight for the presidency!
At a meeting with the workers of the GAZ plant on December 6, 2017, Vladimir Putin officially announced that he would take part in the 2018 elections. The President thanked the employees of the enterprise and all Russians for their support and stressed that the decision to run for another term was dictated solely by the desire of the people to see him in this position.
Speaking about his plans, Vladimir Vladimirovich did not specify whether he would be a candidate from United Russia, or this time he would register as an independent candidate.
Although the veil of mystery is partly opened. There are still many questions left:
- What will be the presidential program for the further development of the country?
- By what methods will the head of state try to get a part of the electorate, which is currently radically minded?
- Will a person worthy of becoming a competitor to Putin appear at the last moment on the political horizon of the country?
What will be the candidates for the presidency of Russia in 2018 will be nominated?
Unlike United Russia, other political forces have already made a preliminary selection of future candidates for the presidency.
Of course, we are not talking about actually registered candidates, because the time has not yet come for this, and not even about the decisions of this or that party, but about public statements by specific citizens and political forces about the presidential elections in Russia in 2018 and candidates.
Vladimir Zhirinovsky
The permanent leader of the LDPR party is running from election to election for the presidency of Russia. Although Vladimir Volfovich heads the liberal party, his political views are extremely far from liberalism. In particular, he calls for the expansion of Russia's borders at the expense of neighboring states, the deportation of migrants, the return of the death penalty, the arrest of the communist leader Zyuganov, and many other radical ideas.
At their core, Vladimir Volfovich's proposals are just populist slogans, because no one has ever done any real analysis of the impact of the proposed reforms on the ideas of Zhirinovsky, as well as real bills based on his ideas and harsh statements.
And at the same time, his political debates with opponents cause a lot of positive emotions both among voters and his fellow politicians, so the LDPR party has a permanent electorate that allows it to overcome the barrier to enter the State Duma.
But with the presidency, Zhirinovsky is much less lucky. Perhaps it was his repeated defeats that led the members of the Liberal Democratic Party to think about the possibility of participating in the upcoming presidential elections from their political strength of another candidate. They, according to Zhirinovsky himself, may be State Duma deputy Mikhail Degtyarev, who wrote more than one bill promoted by the Liberal Democratic Party. Among them is a bill to pay maternity capital for the first child, as well as the introduction of a monopoly on the production of tobacco and alcohol products, sugar. Alexei Didenko, another State Duma deputy from the LDPR, also co-authored the bills and calls for lowering the voting age to 16. Alexei Didenko, according to Vladimir Zhirinovsky, can also become a presidential candidate Russian Federation.
Grigory Yavlinsky
Leader Democratic Party Yabloko Grigory Yavlinsky also wants to take part in the presidential race again. Yavlinsky is primarily an economist, the author of many books and economic models of reforms that he has been trying to carry out in Russia since the 1990s. Yavlinsky is an opponent of Boris Yeltsin's policy, starting from the Belovezhskaya Conference. It is obvious that the policy of the current President Vladimir Putin is alien to him, because Putin, in fact, is Yeltsin's successor, although he is not pursuing a policy similar to him. Grigory Yavlinsky openly opposed the war in Chechnya and at one time even participated in negotiations with Dudayev.
Yavlinsky's main political idea is an economically strong Russia with strong ties with the states of the former USSR. Therefore, Yavlinsky sharply condemns Russia's policy towards Ukraine over the past few years.
Alexey Navalny
The disgraced Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in February of this year also announced his desire to become president of Russia. But the court verdict for embezzling money from the Kirovles enterprise will prevent Navalny from realizing his desire. Today, despite the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, Russia will not review the decision of the Russian national courts, since the decision of the European Court contradicts the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
Navalny is known for his sharp criticism of the current government and accusations of committing corruption crimes, as well as participation in the Russian March nationalist action and his sympathies for nationalist movements.
Alina Vitukhnovskaya
Alina Vitukhnovskaya, a member of the Moscow Writers' Union, a public figure and human rights activist, is nominated for the elections from the Republican Alternative, of which she herself is the leader.
In her interview, when asked about the first steps in the presidency, she said that people need to be given happiness and money, and everything else needs to be decided after.
Ksenia Sobchak
Hot news is being intensively discussed in the media - the well-known journalist and TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak announced her desire to take part in the presidential elections in the Russian Federation!
In her video message, Sobchak urged not to boycott the 2018 elections, but to come to the polling stations and show the authorities that the people are against orders and surnames that have not changed for decades.
To run for president is the right of every citizen of the Russian Federation, and to vote "against all" is the right of every voter. In communication with the press, Sobchak notes that he realistically assesses his chances of winning and does not expect her superiors to allow her to rule the country. But, at the same time, she emphasizes that now the government of the Russian Federation needs exactly people like her:
- having good organizational skills;
- not related to clans that have been at the helm for decades;
- not having windfall profits and business empires;
- not closed in a rigid ideological framework;
- not belonging to certain parties.
Preparing for the fight, the journalist said that she was ready to give up the presidency in favor of Alexei Navalny if the charges against the oppositionist were dropped and he was allowed to participate in the 2018 elections.
Vyacheslav Maltsev
Blogger, public and political figure, Vyacheslav Maltsev is very active, both in real life and on the Internet, where he conducts his video broadcasts.
The radical oppositionist has the most minimal chances of winning, but considers them a matter of principle. He is going to conduct his campaign by analogy with the Duma, using all legal resources for agitation and creating his headquarters everywhere.
Sergei Polonsky
In December 2017, it became known that Sergei Polonsky seriously intended to take part in the presidential elections. The infamous businessman, who was hiding from Russian justice in Cambodia and deported to his homeland in 2015, chose a rather unusual place for the official announcement of his candidacy in the 2018 elections - the Bagration Bridge.
The much publicized lawsuit was completed 4 months ago. Polonsky was sentenced to 5 years in prison, but the businessman no longer faces a real prison, due to the statute of limitations. At the same time, the very fact of a criminal record does not deprive Sergei Yuryevich of the right to join the struggle for the post of head of the Russian Federation. Although, the businessman does not hide that this time he will be more than satisfied with the second place with the prospect of taking the lead in the next presidential election.
Polonsky positions himself as the only real candidate from business, and considers Yavlinsky and Sobchak his closest competitors.
Emphasizing the seriousness of his intentions, Sergei Polonsky opens virtual campaign headquarters and is actively working on a program whose main positions at the moment are:
- "City of the Future" on the Crimean Peninsula.
- Complete closure of prisons and release of prisoners.
- Cooperation and friendly relations with the USA.
Polonsky also announced that he hoped for the support of Boris Titov, since at the moment there is no official candidate from the "Party of Growth".
Anatoly Batashev
He is nominated by the Green Party and has very big ambitions. Until recently, Anatoly Batashev served as an adviser to Balashikha near Moscow, but, in connection with his participation in the elections, he left it.
He declares that he is used to working hard and hard for the good of the country and has no craving for real estate and expensive cars. He is going to carry out a number of reforms:
- constitutional;
- social and labor;
- transport;
- foreign policy.
The electoral program is going to be written at a level not lower than the syllable of Machiavelli or Solzhenitsyn, so that she herself collects the required number of electorate, promoting herself, in particular, in social networks.
Maxim Suraikin is another contender for the presidency
Despite the crushing defeat in the Duma elections, where the Communists of Russia collected less than 2.5% of the vote, they have big ambitions for the 2018 Russian presidential election.
The party's candidate was its chairman Maxim Suraikin, who, at a press conference, said that he would take at least second place.
Prokhorova Irina
Irina Prokhorova is the sister of the famous Russian businessman Mikhail Prokhorov and the head of the charitable foundation named after him. Now Irina Prokhorova is a member of the Civic Platform party, created by Mikhail Prokhorov. In 2013, she headed the civil committee of the party, but withdrew due to the party split caused by the annexation of Crimea to Russia in 2014.
In February of this year, Irina Prokhorova expressed her desire to take part in the presidential elections in the Russian Federation in 2018, motivating her decision by the fact that in Russia a woman can become president. Mikhail Prokhorov, who ran for the presidency in the last 2012 elections, has not yet spoken out about his intentions for the upcoming elections, but he is unlikely to compete with his sister.
Ivan Okhlobystin
The statements about Ivan Okhlobystin's participation in the presidential elections are most likely another shocking thing that he does not disdain.
Ivan Okhlobystin, a former Orthodox priest and now a well-known Russian artist who loves to play odious but interesting characters, announced his desire to participate in the 2018 presidential race for the second time. Last time, he was prevented from taking part in the struggle for the presidency by a ban on the church, which he could not go against. This time, Okhlobystin is again going to participate in the elections only with the consent of the church. But since Patriarch Kirill now approves of Vladimir Putin's policy, we think that Okhlobystin's permission will not be seen.
Yuri Boldyrev
Yuri Boldyrev is a fairly well-known political figure and publicist. In politics for a long time. He was one of the founders of the political party "Yabloko", a People's Deputy of the USSR, a member of the Federation Council, an adviser to the Government, and also an employee of the Accounts Chamber.
Throughout his political career, Boldyrev opposed the methods used by the ruling parties. Focusing on the fact that resources should be used exclusively in the interests of Russia, he repeatedly raised issues of theft of state property by officials and advocated radical measures in the fight against corruption.
It is quite natural that his ideas found a proper response from people. Although, the likelihood that Boldyrev's electorate will be able to give him the required percentage of votes and bring him to the lead is very small.
Sergei Shoigu
According to many, Sergei Shoigu is ideally suited to the role of Putin's successor. With a solid reputation, great political experience and high ratings, he may well qualify for the presidency. But for all the previous years, holding a high post and having the opportunity to run for president, Shoigu never put forward his candidacy for this post.
The question of whether the former head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations will be among the candidates who will join the fight in 2018 is of interest to many. But Sergei Kuzhugetovich himself keeps silent and does not want to talk about this topic, which further fuels the interest of the media in his candidacy.
It is quite possible that his name will appear in the list of contenders for the post of President of the Russian Federation from the party " United Russia". But this will only happen if Putin makes the final decision not to run for another term.
Ramzan Kadyrov
Being the head Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov is already a fairly powerful political figure and enjoys the support of the Kremlin. Is it possible that he will become the successor of the current president?
On the one hand, Kadyrov is a strong and strong-willed personality. Many political scientists are unanimous in their opinion that he will cope with the role of president without outside help and support, and will also be able to fully continue the country's movement along the vector set by the current government. On the other hand, he is young, has a very hot and quick-tempered character, which is not very good for a politician of this magnitude.
Boris Titov
Boris Titov is the authorized representative under the President of the Russian Federation for the protection of the rights of entrepreneurs, and now also a new candidate for the post of head of state. He is positioned as an opposition candidate for the presidency and a "candidacy from business." Titov is nominated by the "Party of Growth", which not so long ago announced its likely support for Vladimir Putin in the elections.
From reliable sources it became known that the issue of choosing the most worthy candidate had been decided since August. The coveted place was also claimed by:
- Internet Ombudsman Dmitry Marinichev;
- federal secretary of the party Alexander Khuruji;
- Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg Oksana Dmitrieva;
- ex-deputy of the State Duma from the "Fair Russia";
- businessman Dmitry Potapenko.
Titov enters the race for the presidency with the Growth Strategy program, which was prepared by the Stolypin Club and presented to Putin in May 2017.
So far, there has been no official reaction from the Kremlin to Titov's candidacy. But, political scientists have already calculated that the Party of Growth, which gained 1.29% in the parliamentary campaign, is unlikely to be able to significantly change the course of the elections, even if such popular opposition candidates as Sobchak and Navalny do not participate in them.
Pavel Grudinin
The Communist Party nominated its candidate for the presidential elections in Russia. The candidate from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation will be the director of JSC "Sovkhoz im. Lenin" - Pavel Grudinin. This decision was supported by 303 of the 314 delegates who took part in the secret ballot.
Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov does not want to believe that the outcome of the elections can be predetermined if the incumbent president participates in them and is ready to personally proclaim Grudinin's campaign. Although Zyuganov himself withdrew from the race for the presidency for health reasons, he is confident that the program approved by the Communist Party will resonate with Russians.
The candidate himself is interesting because he is not a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, although he has political experience, because he was a member of the United Russia party and in the 2000 elections was one of Vladimir Putin's confidants.
Experts speak of Grudinin himself as an influential sponsor of the Communist Party, a good manager (he has been running the state farm since 1995) and a figure who will be very inconvenient for many if he takes a seat in the government. It is unlikely that his candidacy will gain enough votes in the presidential election. But the prospect of taking the place of the governor of the Moscow region is quite real, in which the election campaign can play an important role.
Roman Khudyakov
A well-known politician of Russia and Transnistria was nominated as a single candidate from the non-parliamentary party CHESTNO.
The political career of the candidate is quite interesting:
- Chairman of the movement "LDPR of Transnistria";
- confidant and assistant to Zhirinovsky;
- Deputy of the City Council of Tiraspol;
- adviser to Anatoly Kaminsky;
- deputy of the State Duma of the Pskov region from the Liberal Democratic Party;
- Deputy of the State Duma of Russia.
Elvira Agurbash
Elvira Agurbash, First Vice President of the Mortadel agricultural complex, will be a candidate from the Green Alliance in the 2018 presidential elections in the Russian Federation.
A lawyer by education, a mother of 4 children and a successful manager, she became known for her speeches at discussions of bills on trade. Having decided to run for president, Agurbash promises to protect the interests of small and medium-sized businesses, as well as resist markups in large federal networks.
Boris Titov
The business ombudsman and leader of the public organization "Business Russia" was nominated as a candidate for the presidential elections on December 21 by the "Party of Growth".
Alexander Khurudzhi, Dmitry Marinichev, Oksana Dmitrieva and Dmitry Potapenko also participated in the primaries, but the council members unanimously chose Titov's candidacy.
The ombudsman himself in a press release made it clear that he sensibly assesses his chances of winning, because in the upcoming elections in 2018 there will be a clear favorite. The main task that the candidate sets for himself is to represent the interests of a large group of entrepreneurs of small and medium-sized businesses.
Anton Bakov
The Monarchist Party is a successful project of billionaire Bakov, which provided him with the opportunity to take part in the 2018 presidential election. The main idea of the organization is the revival of the Russian monarchy.
The election program of Anton Bakov is simple and clear to every Russian. It consists of only two items:
- "Experiment in a test tube". Creation of a state within a state, on the basis of which a monarchical experiment will be carried out.
- Export of the monarchist idea (creation of the so-called monarchist international).
Sergey Baburin
Former Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Sergei Baburin is running for president to fight neoliberalism. The party "Russian People's Union" acts as the subject of the nomination. According to the scientist and politician, it is neoliberalism that is the cause of all the failures that have befallen the country in recent years.
Communicating with the press, Baburin speaks approvingly of the foreign policy of the current government, in particular the return of the Crimea, but considers the steps taken by Putin within the country to be ineffective.
Yuri Sidorov
On December 23, 2017, at the congress of the Small Business Party, a decision was made by general vote to nominate Yuri Sidorov as a candidate for the post of head of the Russian Federation in the 2018 elections.
Sidorov sets a clear goal for his team - in the sustainable socio-economic development of Russia and the formation of a middle class. The candidate already has an election program that includes reforms in the field of:
- science;
- health care;
- Agriculture;
- national security.
Natalia Lisitsyna
In the 2018 elections, the candidate from the Russian United Labor Front will be tower crane operator Natalya Lisitsyna.
In her interview with the media, an employee of the plant said that the decision to run for the presidency is a responsible step, which she takes in order to remind the country's leadership that the Russian economy rests on the shoulders of the workers and they must be reckoned with.
Elena Semerikova
Elena Semerikova became the second woman (after Natalya Lisitsyna) to officially submit documents to the Central Election Commission. The subject of the nomination of this candidate is the non-parliamentary party "Women's Dialogue", which automatically means that in the near future Semerikova will have to confirm popular support by collecting more than 100 thousand votes (with no more than 2500 from a certain region).
Among others, the candidate's program includes such items as:
- settlement of relations with Ukraine;
- cooperation with the USA;
- support for LGBT communities.
Alexander Sukhov
Alexander Yuryevich Sukhov - President of the Russian Charitable Foundation and Director of the NP Department of Tourism and Sports. Having been in politics for a long time, he has his own well-established views on how to solve a number of problems, which he outlined in his election program.
Sukhov's main goal is to change the political and economic situation in the Russian Federation, which should lead to an increase in the standard of living of each individual family. The lines about free medicine, increasing the number of jobs and caring for beneficiaries look attractive. But, will the promise be fully realized if people still believe in possible changes and cast their votes for Sukhov? Similar promises are heard all too often during the pre-election period and are quickly forgotten by candidates after they achieve their goals.
When will the presidential elections be held in Russia?
The date of the presidential elections in Russia in 2018, according to the Constitution, must correspond to the 2nd Sunday of the month in which the president was elected last time. In 2012, Vladimir Putin was elected in March, therefore, the presidential elections in the Russian Federation in 2018 should be held on the second Sunday of March 2018, that is, the exact date is March 11.
However, on March 3, 2017, the senators submitted a number of amendments to the legislation for consideration by the State Duma, including the postponement of elections to the 3rd Sunday of the month - March 18. The State Duma adopted them on May 24, 2017. The final decision remains with the current head of state, V. Putin - if he signs the law, the elections will be postponed to March 18, 2018.
2018 presidential election results
As planned, the presidential elections in the Russian Federation took place on March 18, 2018. More than 67.47% of the country's politically active population (approximately 73 million people) made their choice. They voted not only in all regions of the country, but also abroad. It was possible to vote at one of 380 polling stations opened in 146 countries of the world.
Pavel Grudinin became the closest competitor for the current head of government, but the gap between the candidates was more than 60%, which, even before the announcement of the final results, allows us to say that Vladimir Putin is already winning in the 1st round. The remaining contenders for the presidency divided the votes in this way:
On March 23, 2018, all 100% of the ballots were processed, which made it possible to announce final results elections.
№ | Candidate | Percent | Number of votes |
1 | Vladimir Putin | 76,67% | 56.17 million |
2 | Pavel Grudinin | 11,77% | 8.64 million |
3 | Vladimir Zhirinovsky | 5,65% | 4.14 million |
4 | Ksenia Sobchak | 1,68% | 1.22 million |
5 | Grigory Yavlinsky | 1,05% | 764.5 thousand |
6 | Boris Titov | 0,76% | about 500 thousand |
7 | Maxim Suraikin | 0,68% | < 500 тыс. |
8 | Sergey Baburin | 0,65% | < 500 тыс. |
The results of 14 polling stations (including one foreign, located in Australia) were declared invalid, but this fact did not affect the overall result in any way due to the small number of canceled ballots.
The passions surrounding the US presidential race have not yet subsided completely, and the election of the President of Russia is already on the agenda. 2018 risks becoming a turning point for the Russian Federation in many respects. The progressive development of the country, outlined in the first decade of the 21st century, has come across a complex of various problems, the solution of which is urgent.
Russia has not yet overcome the negative inertia that arose after the collapse of the USSR. Economic, political expansion in the expanses of the former empire is actively restrained by the countries of Western civilization with the United States at the head. Endless talk about replacing the economic model of Europe's raw materials "appendage" with a more efficient form remains just talk. The expected economic leap did not happen.
In these circumstances, the upcoming presidential elections in Russia seem to be an important starting point for the route along which the country will move six next years. Indeed, throughout the history of Russia, it was the first person of the state that determined the vector of its further development. This explains the great interest of all layers Russian society upcoming elections.
Their active discussion in public circles has already begun. There is no shortage of forecasts and candidates for the coveted post. A number of well-known politicians and public figures have already declared their desire to participate in the presidential race. Among them there are both systemic oppositionists and non-systemic ones, only the leading Political Party United Russia has not yet decided on its candidate.
Incidentally, this is one of the two main, interrelated intrigues of the upcoming elections. In fact, it is the headquarters of the ruling party, which fully represents the political elite of Russia, will determine what changes await the country in the very near future.
Election date
The federal law "On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation" clearly answers this question: the date of the upcoming event is March 11, 2018. This deadline is fixed as the second Sunday of the month in which the previous general presidential election fell. The head of state for the next six years will be determined by a direct secret ballot of citizens of the Russian Federation admitted to the procedure.
The two main intrigues of the upcoming company
Will Vladimir Putin go to the polls?
The main question, to which there is no clear answer yet, is whether the current head of state, Vladimir Putin, will take part in the elections.
Throughout 2016, he repeatedly answered this question to various media, including the final press conference held on December 23. According to Vladimir Putin, the presidential elections in Russia in 2018 will not take place soon, his decision to run for them will “depend on overall results work in the country. He also warned against hasty decisions of other possible candidates.
Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, giving an interview to the MIR TV channel on December 21, confirmed the prematureness of talks about the elections, saying that "no one talks about them or thinks about them."
However, it is obvious to everyone that sooner or later such a statement will follow. In general, given what happened on the planet, the purposeful “inflaming” of contradictions between Russia and a number of Western countries, the explosive situation in Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine, it is difficult to imagine that Vladimir Putin will not be nominated again for the presidency.
The next two or three years may be decisive in terms of reformatting the existing political and economic model modern world. Therefore, not now best time to change the course of the country. Based on the proactive actions of Vladimir Putin in the international arena throughout 2016, we can make an accurate conclusion that he clearly does not intend to give way to the young in two years.
Thus, the first intrigue is alive only until the moment when Putin publicly announces his participation in the elections. The level of confidence in the incumbent president, according to VTsIOM, in December 2016 was 86%. A study by the Levada Center after the autumn elections to the State Duma stated that the trust rating had dropped to 74%. These figures do not need further analysis. If V. Putin “goes out” to the polls, he will certainly keep his post.
Probability of early elections
The second intrigue lies in the possibility of shifting the election date to 2017. Alexei Kudrin, a former minister, was the first to put forward this idea. The topic was picked up by a number of liberal media, experts, and political scientists. Gennady Zyuganov, Evgeny Gontmakher, Stanislav Belkovsky, other politicians and political scientists saw the main reason for the possible postponement in plummet standard of living and real incomes of Russians.
The logic behind this decision is clear. Changing the date of the elections requires, "only" changes in two laws of the Russian Federation, which does not appear challenging task for the current government. Dividends from the shift in the election date are tangible: the sooner V. Putin is re-elected, the sooner he will be able to carry out "unpopular" reforms related to raising taxes and the retirement age.
Carrying out these really necessary reforms in the current difficult situation before re-election in 2018 is risky. Trust in the president in Russia is gradually, but falling. The standard of living of citizens is declining at a much faster pace. A seasoned politician like Putin won't risk reform until he's re-elected.
The official publication of budget data for 2017 added fuel to the fire for such rumors and assumptions, according to which a huge amount, about 17 billion rubles, is allocated for the elections.
Another important nuance, speaking in favor of the possibility of postponing the elections to an earlier date, is the factor of Donald Trump, as a "freshly baked" US president. It is likely that it will be much easier for Vladimir Putin to negotiate with Trump, as elected president, and not in the status of a head of state with an ending term of office.
Alexey Navalny
Vladimir Zhirinovsky
Grigory Yavlinsky
Maxim Suraikin
Sergei Polonsky
Irina Prokhorova
Candidates
Some well-known politicians and public figures have already declared their desire to run for the presidency. We are ready to provide two million necessary signatures of voters:
- Alexei Navalny;
- Vladimir Zhirinovsky;
- Grigory Yavlinsky;
- Maxim Suraikin;
- Sergei Polonsky;
- Irina Prokhorova.
It is highly likely that such major political parties as the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and A Just Russia will nominate their candidates. A certain number of self-nominated candidates cannot be ruled out.
With the hypothetical non-participation of Vladimir Putin, United Russia will no doubt nominate its own candidate. The overwhelming majority of political scientists and experts agree that Dmitry Medvedev is the main contender for the role of successor to the incumbent president. He has an invaluable experience as head of state and government on his side.
Other possible candidates include the entire spectrum of the state elite: deputy prime ministers, ministers, even governors, such as Alexei Dyumin, a former security officer of Vladimir Putin and deputy defense minister.
The expert community is actively exaggerating the opinion that the rumor about Putin's successor has been introduced into the Russian establishment for a reason. This is a kind of test "for lice" with the task of discovering, then "burying" the ambitions and careers of a certain circle of the elite.
Nevertheless, the main scenario for the further development of events for the expert community is the participation of Vladimir Putin in the elections.
To raise public interest, he will need bright rivals. Well-known political scientists Stanislav Belkovsky and Valery Solovey suggest that there are at least two interesting opponents for the current head of state.
One original non-systemic rival, for example, Alexei Navalny, seems much more dangerous, so two or more such candidates are needed in order for them to divide the entire opposition electorate among themselves.
Be sure to take part in the struggle for the presidency and Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Since the election of the head of the then RSFSR in 1991, he has been nominated with enviable constancy as a candidate for the presidency of Russia. The coming year 2018 does not seem to be an exception.
For a quarter of a century of existence, the Liberal Democratic Party has not managed to “nurture” a figure among its ranks that is somehow comparable in scale and recognition with its leader. It is clear that with his populist slogans, he will look, as always, comical, but Zhirinovsky, of course, will gain 8-10% of the votes. According to FOM, in December 2016, the electoral rating of the LDPR leader was the required 10%.
In the elections, Zhirinovsky is likely to "meet" with his old friends Grigory Yavlinsky, Gennady Zyuganov, Sergei Mironov. From the point of view of statistics, only Zyuganov can achieve any significant results among this trinity. His rating according to FOM is 5%.
The prospects of the leader of the "Communists of Russia" Maxim Suraikin and Irina Prokhorova, the head of the charitable foundation Mikhail Prokhorov seem vague. This also applies to businessman Sergei Polonsky, imprisoned for fraud.
It is quite possible that opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who gained good experience in the 2013 mayoral elections in Moscow, will become Vladimir Putin's main competitor, finishing in second place with 27% of the vote.
The topic of the upcoming presidential elections thus remains open. Much will become clear next spring. But there is no doubt that the most important presidential elections for Russia in the 21st century will take place sooner or later.
Putin's fourth term has come, and soon the question of a successor will again come to the fore. And who will become this successor is an important question. The new head of the country should be a very resolute figure and focused on the interests of the people, while the current president and government look more at the interests of business. When is the next Russian presidential election after 2018, and what can we expect from them?
In view of the current situation, a change of course is necessary. Due to the currently existing symbiosis between government and business, corruption has flourished, and it is still impossible to eradicate it, since it suits everyone - both governors and federal officials. Only a change in leadership can break this vicious circle.
In addition, do not forget that all people are mortal, and government officials, too. The government apparatus of the Russian Federation is not getting any younger, and pretty soon the moment will come when it will all consist of sick old people. Then, willy-nilly, it will be necessary to update the manual in order to avoid the second round of “carriage races”. In any case, Putin should nominate a successor and retire, but who is this man?
Such is the political culture in our country that presidents are not elected by the people, but are appointed by previous presidents. It is to be expected that Putin will publicly announce his successor in the coming years, and we will find out who we should vote for in the next elections. The probability that not the appointed subservient candidate, but the oppositionist will have any chances is extremely small, but it cannot be discounted either.
What to expect from the 2024 elections?
When is the next Russian presidential election after 2018? Under current law, the next election will take place in the spring of 2024. There are six whole years left before them, and this is a long time in our times, and a lot can change in these six years.
The rating of confidence in the President and the Government may drop sharply due to another unforeseen crisis, which will give additional chances to the opposition and introduce unpredictability into the 2024 elections. Recall that before the six-year term was set, another four-year term was in effect, which was considered too short. In addition, there is a limit to two consecutive presidential terms, as a result of which a president who does not resort to "castling" can hold office for up to 12 years.
It is unlikely that in 2024 we should expect a repeat of the “castling” - the President of Russia is already at the wrong age, and the term of office has already been extended, so the next election will no longer be about a “temporary appointment to the presidential chair”, but about a full-fledged new president.
But who will be this president? In a recent article, we hypothesized that there would be another constitutional shuffling and that Putin would run again. But what if we exclude the factor of such a shuffling and accept as an axiom the existence of a real, permanent successor - who will it be?
Sergei Shoigu
One of the most promising figures who could become Putin's successor is Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu. He has long been noticeable in the executive branch of the Russian Federation and not only made a worthy career, but also proved to be a decent person. This former minister of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and now the minister of defense and a bearer of high military rank army general stood at the origins of the United Russia party, being the head of one of its constituent parts- Party "Unity".
It hardly makes sense to list all the milestones of his career - suffice it to mention that he actually created the Russian Emergencies Ministry from nothing and put things in order in the armed forces of the Russian Federation after difficult and controversial reforms that ended in scandal.
Shoigu is a clear candidate who will definitely continue the existing course. Nevertheless, he is a prominent representative of the “siloviki” clan, not associated with the so-called systemic liberals, so it is likely that under him the policy of symbiosis of power and business can be canceled, and the grouping of systemic liberals will be pushed aside from power.
Sergei Sobyanin
The mayor of Moscow is also seen as a likely candidate for the role of Putin's successor. This "Varangian", called to Moscow from the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, was previously the mayor of the northern oil city of Kogalym. His appearance in Moscow cannot be called unexpected: in the past, he was associated with the federal government as the head of the presidential administration, who replaced Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev, who became deputy prime minister (and then prime minister and president), in this post. In any case, he, along with Shoigu, is a systemic, pro-government potential candidate, under whom one can hardly expect big changes: it is likely that Putin’s course will be completely preserved under him, as under a person completely and completely generated by Putin.
Pavel Grudinin
Speaking of this man, we are already entering the realm of opposition. Last year, this little-known agrarian businessman, owner of a former Soviet state farm, became the presidential candidate of the left opposition instead of Gennady Zyuganov, and scored percentages that surpassed those of the long-known electorate eternal candidate Vladimir Volfovich Zhirinovsky. If not for this factor, it would hardly make sense to seriously consider Grudinin, but after the last elections, one cannot rule out a possible agreement between Putin and Grudinin, as a result of which he will move into the pro-government clan and become the official successor. As well as a possible regrouping of Grudinin's supporters as an oppositionist, which will allow him to compete with the pro-government candidate for the second time.
Ksenia Sobchak
This person is a highly controversial figure in Russian politics. Many believe that her presidential campaign was a carefully planned operation to discredit the liberal opposition, or some kind of favor rendered to her by Putin, as a result of which the infamous showwoman got the opportunity to start a political career. But can we expect the appearance of our own Sobchak party and the beginning of its activities already as a serious politician? Few can answer this question.
Many believe that she cannot and is not ready to rule the country. And only a few are supporters of the theory that Sobchak's new career is something of Putin's gratitude to her father, his old ally. One way or another, Ksenia Sobchak, if she hopes to become president, will need a radical image change and long days and nights of spin doctoring necessary to wash away her scandalous image.
A bit of non-traditional political science
Since the level of education in our society, unfortunately, is falling, the belief in psychics and fortunetellers, fueled by some television programs, has gained considerable popularity. This craze and politics did not pass: here and there on the Internet you can find some prophecies and predictions from magicians and sorcerers, in which the personality of the future president of the Russian Federation is supposedly revealed. It hardly makes sense to pay attention to these prophecies, and no serious political scientist or political strategist will perceive them as a significant source of information.
And for people who are inclined to believe in magic, prophecy, revelation, sleep, choh and crow's gray, we will advise you to improve your level of education, get acquainted with the scientific worldview and healthy skepticism. The candidacy of the future president is decided not by stars or spirits, but by secret agreements in the Kremlin and the work of political technologists. And we will entrust the prediction of the results of this work to professionally trained political scientists, and not to figures from television, serving an audience of superstitious people and lovers of the "fantasy" style.
In the spring of 2018, presidential elections will be held in the Russian Federation, therefore, thematic discussions and discussions are actively held on television, in print media and on the Internet. Many are interested in when the presidential elections and who will win. It is not surprising, because elections are considered the most pressing topic in the political life of the state.
Let's take a closer look at the names of the candidates who plan to participate in the election race, the date of the event and the plans of the current President V.V. Putin.
According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, presidential elections are held on the second Sunday of the month in which the previous head of state was elected. Putin won the elections in March 2012. Based on this, the elections were to be held on March 11.
However, in the spring of 2017 The State Duma adopted amendments to the legislation submitted by senators for consideration, according to which
elections are postponed to the third Sunday of March, which falls on the 18th of 2018
Election results
According to 99.94% of the counted ballots, V.V. Putin with 76.69% of the vote. In second place is P. N. Grudinin with 11.77%. The rest of the candidates scored:
- V.V. Zhirinovsky - 5.65%
- K. A. Sobchak - 1.68%
- G. A. Yavlinsky - 1.05%
- B. Yu. Titov - 0.76%
- M. A. Suraikin - 0.68%
- S. N. Baburin - 0.65%
The average turnout in the country was 59.93%.
How long is the president elected
According to the eighty-first article of the basic law of Russia, the president is elected for 6 years. Putin was the first president to be elected for a six-year term. Prior to that, the president was elected in Russia for 4 years, until the relevant amendments were made to the legislation.
The reason for the increase is quite simple. 4 years is too short a time period to carry out reforms and solve political and socio-economic tasks. In turn, citizens do not have the opportunity to give an objective assessment of the work of the head of state.
List of candidates for the presidency of Russia 2018
The presidential elections in the Russian Federation will be held on March 18, 2018, but many political forces have already decided on candidates. Among them (data for 2017):
- Vladimir Zhirinovsky;
- Grigory Yavlinsky;
- Alexei Navalny;
- Vyacheslav Maltsev;
- Maxim Suraikin;
- Sergei Polonsky;
- Anatoly Batashev;
- Irina Prokhorova;
- Grudinin Pavel;
- Alina Vitukhnovskaya.
This table presents current data for January 2018 on candidates for the President of the Russian Federation.
Name of the candidate | Date of Birth | Subject of nomination |
---|---|---|
Agurbash Elvira Kalmetovna | 15.03.1975 | Political party Green Alliance |
Baburin Sergey Nikolaevich | 31.01.1959 | PUBLIC ORGANIZATION - POLITICAL PARTY "RUSSIAN NATIONAL UNION" |
Bakov Anton Alekseevich | 29.12.1965 | Political party "Monarchist Party" |
Bulaev Oleg Alexandrovich | 26.07.1976 | Political party COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE |
Volynets Irina Vladimirovna | 02.08.1978 | All-Russian political party "People's Party of Russia" |
Gagite Irina Muratovna | 12.10.1971 | Political party "Russian Socialist Party" |
Gordon Ekaterina Viktorovna | 19.10.1980 | Public organization - Political party "Good deeds, protection of children, women, freedom, nature and pensioners" |
Grudinin Pavel Nikolaevich | 20.10.1960 | Political party "COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION" |
Zhirinovsky Vladimir Volfovich | 25.04.1946 | Political party LDPR - Liberal Democratic Party of Russia |
Kozlov Mikhail Vladimirovich | 23.05.1972 | Political party SOCIAL PROTECTION |
Kopenkina Marina Petrovna | 04.07.1971 | Political party "RODNA PARTY" |
Lisitsyna Natalya Sergeevna | 20.07.1952 | Political party "Russian United Labor Front" |
Mikhailov Vladimir Viktorovich | 20.12.1964 | A group of voters created to support the self-nomination of a candidate for the post of President of the Russian Federation V.V. Mikhailov |
Polischuk Stanislav Petrovich | 27.05.1982 | "The consignment Social Reforms- Profit of natural resources - to the People" |
Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich | 07.10.1952 | A group of voters created to support the self-nomination of a candidate for the post of President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin |
Sobchak Ksenia Anatolyevna | 05.11.1981 | All-Russian political party "Civil Initiative" |
Suraikin Maxim Alexandrovich | 08.08.1978 | Political party COMMUNIST PARTY COMMUNISTS OF RUSSIA |
Titov Boris Yurievich | 24.12.1960 | All-Russian political party "PARTY OF GROWTH" |
Khudyakov Roman Ivanovich | 28.01.1977 | All-Russian political party "FAIR" / Man. Justice. A responsibility/" |
Chukhlebov Alexander Yurievich | 14.03.1978 | A group of voters created to support the self-nomination of a candidate for the post of President of the Russian Federation A.Yu. Chukhlebova |
Yavlinsky Grigory Alekseevich | 10.04.1952 | Political party "Russian United Democratic Party "YABLOKO" |
Below we will talk about the participants in the election race in more detail.
Vladimir Zhirinovsky
Zhirinovsky heads the LDPR party and regularly runs for president, but there is nothing in common between his political views and liberalism. The list of radical ideas of Zhirinovsky is represented by the expansion of the borders of the state at the expense of the territory of neighboring countries, the deportation of migrants, the return death penalty. Perhaps this is what hinders his ascent to the post, but does not prevent him from being rich and successful.
Grigory Yavlinsky
Yavlinsky is the leader of the Yabloko Democratic Party. As a qualified economist, he actively creates models of reforms and writes thematic books. The essence of the political idea comes down to building a strong state and resuming close ties with the countries that were part of the USSR.
Alexey Navalny
This opposition leader is known for his sharp criticism of the current government. Repeatedly accused high-ranking officials of corruption. Navalny is showing an increased interest in the nationalist movement. However, he will not succeed in realizing his desire to become president. The court verdict received in the case of the Kirovles enterprise is to blame.
Vyacheslav Maltsev
As a politician and well-known blogger, Maltsev is incredibly active in real life and on the network, where he regularly conducts video broadcasts. The radical oppositionist has little chance of winning, but this does not stop him. Maltsev plans to conduct an election campaign with the help of legal resources, agitating and creating headquarters everywhere.
Maxim Suraikin
In the elections to the Duma, he was defeated, because the Communist Party had only 2.5 percent of the vote. Despite this, Russia's top communist has huge ambitions for the upcoming presidential election. During the conference, he announced that he would take at least second place in the election race.
Sergei Polonsky
In 2015, this infamous businessman was extradited to Russia from Cambodia. Currently passing trial in which he is accused of fraudulent activity. However, Polonsky announced his intention to participate in the presidential elections.
Anatoly Batashev
The nominee from the Green Party is not devoid of great ambitions. For the sake of elections, he resigned as an adviser to Balashikha. According to the candidate, he is not afraid of hard work and does not suffer from cravings for expensive real estate and luxury cars. The electoral program is based on constitutional, foreign policy, transport, social and labor reforms.
Irina Prokhorova
The sister of a major Russian businessman and millionaire is a member of the Civic Platform. In winter, information appeared about Prokhorova's intentions to participate in the elections. She motivates the decision by the fact that even a woman can stand at the head of a state as strong as Russia.
Alina Vitukhnovskaya
Being a public figure, human rights activists and a member of the Union of Moscow Writers, Vitukhnovskaya goes to the polls from the Republican Alternative bloc, which she is at the head of. During an interview, she told reporters that after winning the elections, she would first of all distribute money and happiness to people, and then deal with other problems.
This is an incomplete list of candidates. It omits the names of people who have not officially confirmed the nomination. Among them are politicians from the hinterland, financiers and actors.
According to available information, Ivan Okhlobystin, MMM's father Sergei Mavrodi and other people who want to see their name on the list of candidates who remain behind the scenes are planning to participate in the election race.
What does Putin say?
The Russians will have to choose a new president in 2018, and political scientists and analysts are already proposing scenarios for the development of events. This is good, because the issue of presidential elections in the Russian Federation is of interest not only to Russians, but also to foreigners.
Political analysts argue that Putin is most likely to be re-elected for a second term, subject to participation. Experts also do not exclude "castling", when Medvedev will take the post again or the party in power will propose a new candidate. Analysts do not rule out holding early elections. Then the level of uncertainty will skyrocket.
- The results of a recent public poll have clearly demonstrated that Putin still has no worthy competitor. At the same time, the number of people who are unsure about the participation of the president in the election race has increased.
- According to the results of the poll, 48% of Russians will unconditionally vote for the incumbent president. Looking at the big picture, 64% of Russians would be happy to see Putin as president. Against 22% of respondents. Loading...
- Dignities and clothes of Orthodox priests and monasticism
- Healers and fortune tellers - why do people go to them?
- During confession. Preparing for confession. List of sins for confession. How to dress for confession
- Praise of the Most Holy Theotokos Praise of the Mother of God with an akathist what they pray for