Breaking News: Putin formally registered as presidential candidate: Vladimir Putin was formally acknowledged by Russia on Monday as a potential candidate for the March presidential election, which he is very certain to win.
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Since the year 2000, the 71-year-old has been in charge of Russia; he has been elected four times as president and temporarily held the role of prime minister under a system in which opposition has almost completely vanished.
The Central Election Commission announced that it has registered right-wing firebrand and Putin loyalist Leonid Slutsky as candidates for the election, in addition to Putin, who put in his own nomination.
Critics of the Kremlin have said that the poll would be held across three days, from March 15 to 17, which will make it more difficult to ensure transparency.
Human rights organizations claim that past elections were tainted by fraud and that it is likely that impartial observers will not be allowed to record the results.
Although there isn’t anticipated to be any significant opposition for Putin, leftist contender Boris Nadezhdin has gathered enough signatures to be officially registered as a candidate.
He may or may not be permitted to run, though, and the Kremlin has stated that it does not view him as a credible opponent.
