Russia To Hold Presidential Election In March 2024 Amid War With Ukraine

The upper house of the Russian parliament has set March 17, 2024, as the official date for the next presidential election.

On Friday, the Central Election Commission will hold its first official meeting on the organization of the election, according to the head of the commission, Ella Pamfilova, RT reports.

“Decently conducted presidential elections” will in many ways guarantee the strengthening of Russia, Pamfilova said.

The speaker of the upper chamber of parliament, Valentina Matvienko, called the upcoming election “historic,” saying: “The success of our Russian response to the main challenges of the time depends first of all on these presidential elections.”

She added that “the whole world obviously will be watching us. Because the Russian Federation today is one of the main architects of a just global future.”

President Vladimir Putin declined to comment earlier on the possibility of running for another term, saying he would return to the topic after the parliament decides when to schedule the vote.

“When the decision is made, the election will be announced, the date will be appointed, then we will talk,” Putin said at a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in September.

In late November, the head of the Communist Party (CPRF), Gennady Zyuganov, said, “We will go to the elections,” but did not provide details regarding his own participation, noting that the party was “ready for the elections.”

The last presidential election in Russia was held in 2018. Candidates from the CPRF, LDPR, Russian People’s Union, Civic Initiatives, Communists of Russia, Yabloko, and the Party of Growth took part.

Putin ran as a self-nominated candidate and received over 76% of the vote. Pavel Grudinin, the CPRF candidate, came in second with over 11%.

In 2012, Putin ran on the United Russia party ticket, as his successor at the time, Dmitry Medvedev, did in 2008. He also ran as a self-nominated candidate in 2000, 2004, and 2018.