And the winner is… Vladimir Putin (for now)

Summary:

Putin's victory in the 2024 presidential election does not mean that he will remain in power forever. Western leaders should plan for continued confrontation, but (unlike Putin) they should not fear change in Russia. In democratic states, elections give the people the chance to choose their leaders, and the results are sometimes surprising. In Vladimir Putin’s Russia, the events described as ‘elections’ involve no real choice and definitely no surprises. The purpose of the ritual that took place from March 15-17 was to enable Putin to show the Russian people and the rest of the world that he was Russia’s legitimate ruler and that there could be no alternative to him. The West should not accept either proposition.

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ESO Records

EPRS briefings: March 2024: Russia’s 2024 presidential election: What is at stake and what is not https://www.europeansources.info/record/russias-2024-presidential-election-what-is-at-stake-and-what-is-not/

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