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Russian President Vladimir Putin (71) is still reluctant to officially announce his candidacy for the presidential elections scheduled for March. Thanks to a constitutional amendment, Putin can seek a new term in office. Until 2020, the Russian presidency was limited to two consecutive terms. Now Putin can rule for practically his entire life. He said in September that he would only confirm his 2024 candidacy after the official announcement of the elections. Now a brave Russian woman is standing up to Putin.
A crude outsider announced last week her unwavering intention to take on the Kremlin ruler: Yekaterina Duntsova is a 40-year-old single mother and journalist from the Tver region, northwest of Moscow. Duntsova announced her candidacy for the Russian presidency via Telegram.
Russia is moving in the wrong direction
In her Telegram statement, Duntsova struck a clear tone that could potentially land her behind bars: “Why did I make this decision? I love our country,” she wrote. ‘I want Russia to become a prosperous, democratic and peaceful state. But right now our country is going in a completely different direction.”
The mother of three children “understands that many want to wait and see at the moment. But we must act. Anyway, let’s try it! Let’s try to win these ‘elections’!” Her 19-year-old daughter is especially interested in helping with the campaign.
The journalist confides that her age, gender and lack of experience in Moscow politics could be her greatest strengths. The “elections” in Russia, which Duntsova deliberately puts in quotes, were still dominated by older men who worked in the shadow of the Kremlin for decades. The last powerful woman in Russia? Empress Catherine the Great, in the 17th century.
There is talk of peace instead of war
Duntsova wants to soon find her party with supporters in Moscow and set up party offices in various cities in the country. She has no illusions. Already expect any attempt at resistance against Putin to be disbanded by the authorities. “We know very well what can happen,” Duntsova told the Moscow Times. “If we don’t get together on the first try, we’ll try a second time, and so on.”
The qualified lawyer indicates that she also disapproves of the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine. She weighs her words carefully so as not to violate Russia’s strict censorship laws. She had already been summoned by the Public Prosecution Service to speak about her campaign and her position on Russian actions in Ukraine. In Russia, it is forbidden to call the Kremlin’s special military operation a “war.” Duntsova therefore prefers to speak of ‘peace’.
Lots of high obstacles
The first major hurdle that Duntsova must overcome are the difficult election laws. It must collect 300,000 signatures from at least 40 regions of Russia and submit them to the election authority for verification.
Russian electoral law also requires that a candidacy be supported by a 500-strong interest group. They must come together in one place to support a candidate.
It is likely that Russian authorities will immediately try to prevent or break up such a meeting. Duntsova hopes for a new movement in the country so that she can officially challenge Putin in the 2024 presidential elections.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
