Russian Election Officials Deny Antiwar Politician’s Bid Against Putin

Russian electoral authorities on Thursday barred antiwar politician Boris Nadezhdin from participating in the upcoming presidential elections, signaling the Kremlin’s intolerance for dissent against its military actions in Ukraine. This decision by the Central Election Commission further smoothens President Vladimir Putin’s path to securing a fifth term, facing only nominal competition in the March 15-17 elections within a tightly controlled political environment.

Nadezhdin, a municipal lawmaker from a Moscow suburb, failed to meet the signature requirement set for non-parliamentary candidates, with the commission invalidating over 9,000 of the signatures he collected. Russian election regulations disallow a candidate if more than 5% of their submitted signatures are deemed invalid.

The 60-year-old legislator has been vocal about ending the conflict in Ukraine and initiating talks with the West. His disqualification came despite significant public support last month, with thousands across Russia endorsing his candidacy. Nadezhdin plans to challenge this decision in court, representing the voices of hundreds of thousands of Russians who supported him.

Putin, running as an independent, easily met the signature requirement for his candidacy, with a minimal number of his signatures disqualified by election officials. Most political adversaries capable of challenging Putin are either jailed or in exile, and independent media outlets are largely banned.

The election will also see candidates from parties in parliament, all of whom support Kremlin policies and were not required to gather signatures. They include Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party, Leonid Slutsky of the Liberal Democratic Party, and Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party.

Exiled opposition supporters had rallied behind Nadezhdin, but the Kremlin does not consider him a serious challenger. Despite the setback, Nadezhdin encouraged his supporters to remain hopeful, emphasizing the public’s desire for change in Russia.

Nadezhdin is the second antiwar candidate to be denied ballot access, following journalist Yekaterina Duntsova, who was disqualified over paperwork errors. Duntsova had aimed to end the Ukraine conflict and promote negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.

The exclusion of Nadezhdin from the ballot underscores the fragility of Putin’s purported popularity, revealing a disconnect between official narratives and the public’s appetite for political alternatives.