Russian Election Commission Rejects Navalny's Candidacy for Presidential Election

The Central Election Commission of Russia opposed the registration of Alexei Navalny for the presidential election. The commission stated that Mr. Navalny is ineligible to participate in the election due to his criminal record. The Central Election Commission said that Mr. Navalny has been convicted in court and has received a suspended sentence, thus he cannot participate in the elections. Of the 13 members of the Central Election Commission, 12 voted to reject Alexei Navalny's application, while one member abstained. Polls indicate that Vladimir Putin can easily win the election and remain in power until 2024. Alexei Navalny, an anti-corruption activist, had previously launched a campaign across Russia and requested permission to participate in the elections. On Sunday, while registering for the election, he stated, 'An election [presidential] without us is not an election.' After registering at the election commission building in Moscow, he told reporters, 'We have the ability to confront the current rulers. Our main request is to be allowed to participate in the elections.' The Russian Election Commission had previously announced that Mr. Navalny would not be allowed to participate in elections until 2028 due to his conviction related to financial crimes. Alexei Navalny has repeatedly claimed that these charges are fabricated and that the case was politically motivated against him. Earlier, Mr. Navalny stated that he had garnered enough support and submitted a request with 15,000 signatures to participate in the elections. His campaign was active in 20 cities across Russia. During a rally in Moscow, he referred to the current President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, as a 'bad president.' Alexei Navalny said, 'Vladimir Putin, you are the one who has turned our country into a source of wealth for yourself, your family, and your friends, and for this reason, you should no longer hold the presidency.' Nearly 800 of Navalny's supporters gathered at an event to officially support him under a large canopy by a river in Moscow covered in snow. 742 people signed a request for support for him. According to new laws, Navalny needed 500 supporters in each of the 20 major cities across Russia. Similar gatherings were held in other cities like St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Perm, and Omsk. Alexei Navalny told his supporters, 'There is no widespread support for Putin and his regime in the country.' He also threatened to boycott the elections if he was not allowed to participate. He had previously announced on Twitter that he had obtained all the necessary signatures for his candidacy in the elections. Based on reports from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and using reports from the Associated Press and AFP.