The Russian Supreme Court upheld a ruling on Monday (Mar 4) that barred Boris Nadezhdin, an anti-war presidential hopeful, from contesting in the upcoming election. This decision follows Nadezhdin’s acknowledgment weeks ago that he would not be able to appear on the March ballot.
Anti-War Boris Nadezhdin Disqualified
Nadezhdin, aged 60, had appealed against the Central Election Commission’s decision to disqualify him from running against incumbent President Vladimir Putin in the upcoming election. Despite his concession earlier, Nadezhdin remains determined to challenge the decision, expressing his intent to file a complaint with the presidium of the Supreme Court and potentially escalate the matter to the Constitutional Court.
“I’m not going to stop, I’ll fight until the end,” affirmed Nadezhdin, a city council member in Dolgoprudny. He was nominated by the Civic Initiative party to contest against President Putin, who is running virtually unopposed for a fifth term extending his presidency until 2030.
Nadezhdin, known for his vocal opposition to the war in Ukraine, has garnered support from Russians who share his stance. However, this latest setback comes after the Russian Supreme Court dismissed two previous appeals Nadezhdin made following the Central Election Commission’s decision to disqualify him.
The disqualification stemmed from Russian election law requirements demanding candidates to secure at least 100,000 signatures for presidential candidacy. Despite collecting 105,000 signatures, the Central Election Commission invalidated over 9,000 signatures submitted by Nadezhdin’s campaign, leading to his disqualification.
Russian elections, widely considered tightly controlled by the Kremlin, have often faced criticism for excluding opposition candidates, voter intimidation, and allegations of ballot tampering. Nadezhdin’s campaign, characterized by his anti-war stance and criticism of Putin, gained traction before his disqualification.
As of now, only four candidates, including President Putin, have been approved to contest in the March elections scheduled between 15 and 17. However, these candidates, reportedly from Kremlin-friendly parties represented in parliament, have not openly criticized Putin and are perceived by many as token contenders.
