(Moscow) Vladimir Putin was on the verge, on Sunday evening, of extending his reign of almost a quarter of a century by six years after the three-day vote, from which he came out on top with 88% of the votes. Unsurprisingly, but not without some difficulties, including some incidents in polling stations and the mobilization of the opposition which disrupted this scheduled election.
He had been everywhere for weeks. Almost on every door of the building, in the metro, on the home screen of the Russian online bank Sberbank, the tricolor “V”, next to which were recalled the dates of the presidential election from 15 to 17 March, accompanied by a simple slogan: “Together we are stronger, vote for Russia. » V for… Vote, or Victory? Vladimir or the fifth term he is seeking? All of this ?
PHOTO NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
A man votes at a Moscow polling station.
The election took place amid Ukrainian missile and drone attacks in Russia, which killed several people. The vote also took place in a tightly controlled environment, where Putin faces competition from only three symbolic rivals and any public criticism of him or his war in Ukraine is muted.
“We have many concrete and important tasks to accomplish. The results of the election demonstrate the confidence of the country’s citizens and their hope that we will do everything planned,” Vladimir Putin said in a televised speech after the vote.
Between ardor and disillusionment
“I only want Putin as president,” Annia said on Sunday, surprised that anyone could assume that the current Russian president would not be re-elected. “I support him with all my strength. He runs the country very well, no one bothers us,” is convinced this 42-year-old woman with a dark complexion.
She is one of the last voters at General Leluchenko’s college, transformed into a polling station for three days. The majority of Russians in their fifties agree with him. Like Natalia, 53, who says she is very satisfied with the master of the Kremlin. “I wish peace on the whole Earth and only Vladimir Putin is capable of saving the world,” is convinced this mother of a 17-year-old girl.
The Muscovites followed one another on Sunday afternoon in dribs and drabs without any real enthusiasm. “We don’t expect anything at all from this election” is the most common response collected by The Press at the exit of the polling stations.
Because “the changes that I really want in my country are currently criminally punished by the Kremlin,” explains Lilia, in her twenties. A circumlocution to avoid saying that we want peace in Ukraine.
“I just came to spoil the ballot, to make sure that it is not used to increase Putin’s voting rate,” explains Barbara, wearing a gray fur coat that matches the scarf wrapped coquettishly around her head. . “I would have liked our elites to be more dignified and more peaceful,” says this business leader in the scientific-industrial sector, without really believing it.
For some Russians, “Navalny is our president”
This forty-year-old came at nightfall, well after the “noon against Putin” action, of which she knew nothing. The opposition loyal to Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny has agreed to come collectively on Sunday at noon sharp to demonstrate that not everyone supports Putin. “At noon, suddenly, a whole queue of young people formed, while throughout the morning only a few pensioners came to vote, publicly supporting Putin,” says Sahaiana Sannikova, an election observer in a small town an hour from Moscow.
PHOTO MAXIM SHEMETOV, REUTERS
The lines were long at some Moscow polling stations.
Some even brought their children. “The 4-year-old was as excited as a flea in this place which seemed incredible to him,” remembers the young 18-year-old woman, touched, in front of the teaching of the father, who explained each stage of the vote to his son. “He even told him why he voted for Vladislav Davankov among the four candidates. »
In the darkness of the voting booth, Russians can finally write down everything they usually hold back from saying. “Navalny is our president”, proclaim some ballot papers, “No to war”, “Putin is a murderer”.
However, security is often only artificial in Russia, and the transparent walls of the ballot box only serve as a poor shield. In the Ramenki district of Moscow, a young man was arrested because his inscription “Putin-assassin” was seen.
In total, 77 people were arrested during the “noon against Putin” action. Polina, an election observer north of Moscow, remembers an electrical situation there. “The members of the electoral commission were extremely afraid of the attacks that Navalny’s team would supposedly organize,” says the thirty-year-old. They were even looking for emergency doors to escape. » Indeed, the first two days of voting were disrupted by Molotov cocktail attacks and burning of ballot boxes.
Online, out of sight
The young woman emphasizes that she did not notice any major fault during the vote which merited reporting. “The most important thing was to stay until the counts, to make sure it was done with integrity,” explains Polina, who was afraid of being removed, as were many other observers. “So I turned a blind eye to minor mistakes. » Like this woman indignant at not being able to vote, because her vote has already been cast online. Like, also, the members of the commission who suggested voting on electronic voting terminals. “While online, there is no way to prevent fraud,” warns Polina.
In place since the 2021 elections, electronic voting was heavily touted in Russia ahead of the presidential election. Children’s cartoons have been specially created to convince people of the practicality of this way of voting. Cell phones, cars and theater tickets were promised to the luckiest online voters.
A real motivation for some voters. “I can’t choose the future I want for my country, but at least I could pay for my metro card,” says Marina cynically, who dreamed of the wonderful Russia once promised by Navalny.
With Agence France-Presse
Strong mobilization in front of Russian embassies
The mobilization in front of Russian embassies in Europe was strong on Sunday, the day when the opposition called for rallies in front of polling stations in memory of opponent Alexeï Navalny. His widow, Yulia Navalnaïa, who promised to take up the torch from her husband who died in detention in Russia, had called to go to the polls at noon on Sunday to pay tribute to him, and to give their vote to any candidate other than Vladimir Poutine. She waited in line in Berlin, in front of the Russian embassy, then said she had written her husband’s name on her ballot. In Belgrade, many opponents unfurled a banner in front of a polling station stating: “Putin is not Russia”, to the applause of Russians who came to slip their ballots into the ballot box. In The Hague, thousands of people queued for several hundred meters in front of the Russian embassy, around which a police cordon was deployed, according to Dutch media. “We want to complicate Putin’s task,” said Yuri, in Istanbul, where 400 meters of queue in front of the Russian consulate testified to the desire of exiles to denounce the control of the master of the Kremlin. In Washington, 600 people were present in front of the Russian embassy, where an opponent of President Putin was sprayed with tear gas, provoking a police intervention.
” It happens. »
Speaking for the first time about Mr Navalny’s death, Russian President Vladimir Putin said: “It happens. It can not be helped. That’s life. The Russian president’s speech was unusual in that he repeatedly referred to Mr Navalny by name for the first time in years. Mr Putin says he supported the idea of freeing Alexei Navalny in a prisoner swap just days before the death of the man who was his greatest political enemy. During his speech, he pleaded, without providing evidence, that a few days before Mr. Navalny’s death, “certain colleagues” had informed him of “the idea of exchanging Navalny for certain people detained in prisons.” penitentiary establishments in Western countries. He confirmed that he was in favor of this idea. He added that his only condition was that Mr Navalny not return to Russia. Alexei Navalny, Russia’s best-known political opponent, died last month at the age of 47 while serving a 19-year prison sentence.