Ramzan Kadyrov, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leader of the Chechnya region, has proposed that the presidential elections scheduled for March 2024 should be postponed due to the war in Ukraine or only Putin should run.[1]
This proposal demonstrates the legitimacy of democratic processes in Russia and the importance of multi-candidate elections. Democracy is based on the evaluation of various candidates and different opinions by the people. The restriction of elections in Russia to only one candidate can be shown by the United States (USA) and the European Union (EU) as contrary to democratic principles, that is, in the opinion of the Western Bloc. At the same time, this proposal can also be used by the West for allegedly weakening political diversity and participation.
Putin has stated that he will announce whether he will run for the Presidential Elections on December 2023 at the earliest. It is almost certain that Putin will win the elections and stay in the Kremlin. However, Russia’s inability to get exactly what it wants in the war in Ukraine has made events less predictable, and this war, which Moscow calls a “special military operation,” has become a major challenge for Putin. [2]
In the eyes of the West, the fact that Putin has been in power for a long time and suppresses dissent threatens the healthy functioning of democratic processes. According to the West, Putin’s staying in power for so long goes against the basic principles of democracy and may reduce political diversity. In democratic societies, the people have the right to choose between different leaders and party options, and these options should compete to better serve the interests of the people.
RIA Novosti newspaper reported that Kadyrov spoke at a rally of 25,000 people in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, to celebrate Putin’s birthday on October 7, 2023. Kadyrov used the following statements:[3] [4]
“My suggestion is that while the ‘special military operation’ is going on right now, let’s decide unanimously that we will have a single candidate in the elections. And this person should be Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Or let’s temporarily postpone the elections, because there is no one else who can defend our country today.”
Kadyrov is a Chechen leader who has been Putin’s ally since the war began in Ukraine. The war in Ukraine has become Putin’s biggest challenge in domestic politics. The fact that Russia can control only less than a fifth of Ukraine, instead of quickly taking control of Ukraine and blocking attempts to get closer to the West, the front lines remain stable, military spending increases and hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers have fled the war points to a very problematic situation for Moscow.
It is unclear how the war in Ukraine will affect Russia’s internal politics. However, it is clear that this situation has negative effects on Russia’s international relations and economy. Such events in the international arena may cause leaders to reshape their domestic policies and change their election strategies.
The West has imposed extensive economic sanctions on Moscow, provided weapons to Ukraine at great cost, thereby strengthening solidarity within the alliance.
As a result, it is not yet clear how the war in Ukraine will affect Russia’s political maneuvering space and election strategies. But it should be remembered that such events can greatly affect foreign relations as well as domestic politics.
[1] “Kadyrov Suggests Postponing Russia Presidential Election, or Excluding Rivals to Putin”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-ally-suggests-postponing-march-presidential-election-or-excluding-rivals-2023-10-07/, (Erişim Tarihi: 09.10.2023).
[2] “Chechen Leader Says Russian Presidential Election Should Be Postponed Or Limited To Putin As Single Candidate”, Radio Free Europe Raido Liberty, https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-kadyrov-elections-postponed-putin/32628115.html, (Erişim Tarihi: 09.10.2023).
[3] “Kadyrov Suggests Postponing Russia Presidential Election, or Excluding Rivals to Putin”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-ally-suggests-postponing-march-presidential-election-or-excluding-rivals-2023-10-07/, (Erişim Tarihi: 09.10.2023).
[4] “Putin Ally Suggests Postponing March Presidential Election, or Excluding Rivals”, BDNews24, https://bdnews24.com/world/europe/er2wktnpft, (Erişim Tarihi: 09.10.2023).
