As the 2024 Russian election approaches, the political situation is becoming more and more tense. According to the head of the Election Commission (CEC), Ella Pamfilova, 16 candidates have already submitted their applications, and the incumbent Putin has chosen to run as an independent candidate. This has caused widespread concern, especially given Putin's approval rating of more than 80% in the polls.
First of all, it is worth explaining the significance of Putin's choice to run as an independent candidate. According to the Russian constitution, independent candidates need to collect signatures from more than 300,000 voters in more than 40 regions to qualify. In contrast, running as an intra-party nominee does not require this process. Putin's choice of this more cumbersome approach shows his great confidence in his approval ratings and his chances of victory. At the same time, it may also be that Putin hopes to shorten the distance between himself and the Russian people through this process, and strengthen political cohesion at home and political propaganda abroad.
Putin has always been known internationally as "Putin the Great", not only because of his long time in power and firm grip on power, but also because of his prestige in the hearts of Russians. Germany's "Der Spiegel" once said that if Putin wins this ** and completes his term, he will be in power for 30 years, surpassing Stalin's 29-year ruling record. The contrast is reminiscent of Catherine the Great, and Putin could surpass these two historic leaders in the future.
However, in the West, Putin has always been labeled as a "first-class" and a "reckless militarist". Although the West has frequently accused Putin of "manipulation", "cheating" and "undemocracy", there is little condemnation of the cancellation of Zelensky in neighboring Ukraine and his re-election in a wartime state. This double standard highlights the West's bias against Putin.
However, Putin's 71-year-old age and rumors of his poor health have raised questions about whether Russia must be Putin. According to the report, on October 24, a Russian ** said that Putin fainted due to a heart attack, which drew attention to the practical problems that he may face in power for a long time. This also makes people start to think about whether Russia's ** must be held by Putin, perhaps at the current stage, Putin is the most suitable candidate, but in the future, Russia should get rid of its excessive dependence on individual leaders and consider more possibilities for the succession of power and the stability of the country.
Putin's political career dates back to 1975, when he joined the KGB after graduating from Leningrad University, and after 16 years of KGB work, he returned in 1989. Putin's rise in the political sphere was in 1996, when the oligarch Chubais recommended Putin to the then Yeltsin to become the head of the ** office. After that, Putin's political career developed rapidly, becoming Yeltsin's successor.
At the end of 1999, Yeltsin announced his resignation and appointed Putin as his deputy. After Putin came to power, he took a series of political, economic and military measures to strengthen the power of the federation, rectify the economic order, promote the construction of the army, and enhance Russia's international status. He also drastically rectified the oligarchy left over from the Yeltsin era, effectively preventing the oligarchs from interfering in politics.
Especially during the Chechen War, Putin successfully led the Russian army to completely defeat the Chechen rebels, bringing the Russians the joy of victory. The war was also an important juncture in Putin's political career, establishing his image in the hearts of Russians as a "tough guy who led Russia to victory."
Although Putin stepped down in 2008 and was replaced by Medvedev, Russians still see Putin as de facto during this period. In 2012, Putin was re-elected. In recent years, especially during the Russia-Ukraine war, Putin's approval rating has soared again, reaching a high of 83%. This shows that Russians believe that Putin is the only leader who can lead Russia out of this difficult situation under current internal and external pressures.
However, the reality has also led people to think about the wisdom of relying too much on the fate of the country on individual leaders. In the future, Russia needs to think more about the succession of power and the building of institutions, and avoid pinning everything on a specific leader. Russia should think for the future and ensure the long-term stability and development of the country.
In this time of political turmoil, Russia needs not only a strong leader, but also a stable regime that can unite domestic forces and respond to external challenges. Putin may still be the most suitable candidate for now, but Russia should build a more robust political system in the future to ensure that the country does not fall into chaos because of the departure of individual leaders.
Overall, as the 2024 Russian elections approach, Putin's candidacy as an independent candidate has attracted widespread attention. His political experience and achievements in power have raised confidence in his leadership, but at the same time, people have begun to think about whether Russia's political system should be more robust and avoid over-reliance on individual leaders. In the future, Russia needs to consider building a more robust political system to ensure the long-term stability and development of the country.