The polls are closing for the 2024 elections in Russia, with a huge victory for Vladimir Putin. The Head of the Kremlin confirms his leadership of the country for the fifth consecutive time (surpassing Stalin’s record) with almost 90% of the votes, and will govern until 2030.
Here’s how the elections in Russia 2024 took place, why there is talk of a plebiscite and how international leaders reacted to Putin’s victory.
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Russia 2024 elections, plebiscite for Putin: almost 90% of the votes
Putin breaks every record and reconfirms himself in the 2024 elections in Russia. The Head of the Kremlin reconfirms himself with 87.7% of the votes, with a turnout of 73% (up compared to six years ago).
With this victory, Putin beats Stalin’s record and, after 24 years of government, confirms his leadership of Russia until 2030.
In these elections, which according to the White House were “neither free nor fair”, Putin ran practically alone. In fact his opponents (the leader of the Communist Party Nikolai Kharitonov, the nationalist Leonid Slutsky and the liberal Vladislav Davankov) are all and three of the supporters of the Kremlin’s policies.
The only opponent who could have countered Putin was the local Moscow councilor Boris Nadezhdin. Who was however forced to withdraw after expressing criticism of the management of the war.
Putin’s celebrations were interrupted by numerous protests by citizens at the polls. In particular, the protest promoted by Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya,. Who had asked citizens to go to the polls at midday on Sunday as a sign of protest against the Kremlin.
Putin wins the elections: “We are always stronger”
In his first speech at the end of the elections, in which he obtained between 87 and 89% of the vote, Putin underlined how “the result of the elections shows that Russia is a big family”. And, that there is “total trust of the citizens that we will do everything as planned.”
Thanks also went to the soldiers who protect Russia’s borders and who “carry out the most important task which is to protect our people”.
And then, addressing those who would like to counteract his power, Putin said: “No matter how much they tried to scare us, to suppress our will, our conscience, no one has ever succeeded in history. They have failed now and will fail in the future.”
Finally, a warning for NATO. Thus explaining that the conflict in Ukraine could be “one step away from the third world war”.
Reactions to Putin’s victory in the elections
“Congratulations to Vladimir Putin on his brilliant victory in the Russian presidential elections,” Vice President of the Russian Security Council Dmitri Medvedev wrote on Telegram.
The reaction of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was different, he declared:
“It is clear to everyone that this character, as has happened so many times in history, is simply drunk with power and is doing everything he can to reign eternally.”
The Polish Foreign Ministry instead stressed that the elections in Russia “are not legal, free and fair”. Thus adding that the vote took place “amid harsh repression” and in violation of international law. Words also relaunched by the United Kingdom and the US.
Read also: Is Putin the richest man in the world? How much is his fortune worth and where it is hidden
