Boris Nadezhdin seeks to run in the March 17 presidential election in Russia. The question now is whether authorities will allow him on the ballot.
The stocky, bespectacled 60-year-old local legislator and academic has struck a chord with the public, openly calling for a halt to the conflict in Ukraine, the end of mobilizing Russian men for the military, and starting a dialogue with the West. He also has criticized the country’s repression of LGBTQ+ activism.
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He better stay away from any windows not on the ground floor.
Does anyone believe they have non-rigged elections in Russia?
It doesn’t matter how many people they let run, they’re never winning.
It’s actually very hard to override people’s votes. Countries like this usually take unused votes and put them in the government’s candidate AFAIK. There’s nothing they can do if he actually makes it on the ballot and, say, all of Russia votes for him. Which is why anyone with a risk of something like that happening is executed by suicide.
The latter isn’t always the case, but the rest is very accurate. I try to use my skills in English to offer people outside Russia some insights, both to help them understand this place a little more and help myself cope with everything a little better, but your post is precise and concise, which is best for this kind of case; I just can’t stop talking and end up writing confusing and complicated paragraphs because ei get emotional and try to put too many things into a single comment.
So good job and thank you!
Yeah there we go. I’ve never heard of this guy before, but the description doesn’t paint him to be just another a lesser evil at least. I hope this guy gains momentum.
He’ll be dealt with before he becomes an actual threat
Places your bets, which is it:
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He isn’t a credible ‘threat’ to Putin, and the state media is letting him get away with some visibility so that he can be crushed in the definitely-not-completely-fake polls in order to preserve the democracy kayfabe. Possibly to achieve a domestic policy goal like getting out of the Ukraine war without losing as much face for Putin.
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He is a credible threat and will be dealt with brutally and violently.
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He is a sockpuppet. Either of Putin or the next generation of Russian leaders who, in proud Soviet tradition, are going to honor and glorify Putin in his retirement then quietly delete and replace his history and influence with their own.
This is controlled opposition and it’s critical for the Putin regime.
Controlled opposition doesn’t require direct collusion, but it doesn’t preclude it either. It just means he’s useful for Putin maintaining democratic legitimacy or even just the illusion of it.
Regardless, if he was an actual threat to Putin, he wouldn’t be allowed to remain in any elected office.
I’m fairly confident in this assessment. However, if he’s found in motel with a dead hooker and a live boy, or falls out a window, feel free to call me out and rub my noise in it.
I bet on the first option. It’s maybe a way of convincing the people that all those topics were opinions of the minority. The protests and therefore resistance might quiet down if enough people think that the average citizen would support the war and Putin in general.
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If somebody like him actually runs, it will only happen to gauge public support for peace. He is never going to win, but if he should have won Putin might try to go for a peace deal in Ukraine.
…aaaand he’s gone.
Not really unlikely. He’s been trying to get on the ballot for years. There’s a lot of stuff like this that never makes it on the English speaking Internet. I’m also surprised that he is still alive, but I wish him all the luck in the world
I’m hopeless about this situation either way. i wish the Russian government would once more become a beacon of technology and stand in its own feet instead of trying to find a future in invading other countries. the current path is a path into the medieval times and the result is not wealth. I’m not even pro capitalism, but this is plain unintelligent and wasteful.
A tiny candle in the dark, but it may be blown out any time by the storm that is ravaging this country right now.