Yesterday at 18:44
Putin’s fourth election. This is how some are ironically calling Russia’s 2018 Presidential Election. Some Russian Human Rights activists believe that the 7 candidates running against incumbent were pre-approved by the Kremlin itself, in order to create the illusion of competition, and to generate interest among the Russian people.
The televised Presidential Debates in Russia were held without Vladimir Putin’s participation. The incumbent’s campaign instead held a rally in Moscow on March 3rd. Students and stipened recipients were pushed to go to the rally, in possible violation of Russian law. However, the country’s Central Election Committee apparently saw no violations.
The main fight for Russia’s 2018 presidential election is not for votes, but for turnout. According to experts, the Russian government would like to see a voter turnout of 70%, in order to be able to promote the image of wide-spread support for Putin.
Russia’s electorate is being lured to the polling stations in various ways. In the Sverdlovsk Region, cash prizes will be handed out for high turnout. In Krasnoyarsk, the best election selfie-taker will be given a new car. In Khabarovsk, polling centers will have deserts, sausages, and other products on sale with discounts of 20-30 percent. In promotional videos, famous stars have urged people to vote. One viral video scared voters with possible military draft, inflation, corruption, and even gay people.
Illegal voting in the occupied Crimea has caused outrage in the international community. It is worth mentioning that the election is held on the 4th anniversary of the peninsula’s illegal annexation. It is predicted that the turnout will be among the lowest in history. In order to improve the situation, Putin himself came to Crimea. The Kremlin authorities urged locals to vote with the help of intimidating videos.
According to Crimean Tatar activists, residents of the occupied peninsula are forced to go to the election under threats and blackmail.
Illegal elections in the occupied territory of Crimea calls into question the legitimacy of the results of the Russian presidential election. These were the words of Ukrainian authorities as well as the international community.
