The upper house of Russia’s parliament, the Federation Council, is scheduled to vote this Thursday on the proposed date for the next presidential election, targeting March 17, as disclosed by a senior lawmaker.
Andrei Klishas, the head of the house’s committee on constitutional legislation, conveyed in his Telegram channel that the issue would undergo consideration at the next plenary session of the Federation Council on December 7, 2023.
While the declaration of the election date is deemed a formality, it is expected to pave the way for an imminent announcement by President Vladimir Putin, signaling his intention to seek another six-year term.
At 71 years old, Putin has held influential roles as president or prime minister since the final day of 1999, following Boris Yeltsin’s departure, which prompted his appointment as acting president. With no formidable contenders anticipated in the upcoming election, Putin’s continued dominance is a foregone conclusion. Notably, Russia’s preeminent opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, is currently serving sentences totaling over 30 years in a penal colony.
If Putin secures another six-year term in the Kremlin, he will surpass Josef Stalin’s tenure, who governed the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1953, making Putin the longest-serving leader of Russia since Empress Catherine the Great in the 18th century. The impending vote in the Federation Council marks a crucial step in perpetuating Putin’s enduring political legacy.
