Yekaterina Duntsova wanted to end the conflict in Ukraine, but her candidacy was rejected over alleged flaws in her application

Yekaterina Duntsova wanted to end the conflict in Ukraine, but her candidacy was rejected over alleged flaws in her application

A former TV journalist has been disqualified from running against Vladimir Putin in Russia’s presidential election because of alleged flaws in her application to register as a candidate.

Footage from a meeting of the central electoral commission in Moscow showed members voting unanimously to reject the candidacy of Yekaterina Duntsova, who had wanted to run on a platform to end the war in Ukraine and release political prisoners.

Her disqualification was seized on by Putin’s critics as proof that no one with genuine opposition views will be allowed to stand against him in March – the first presidential election since the start of the 22-month conflict. They see it as a fake process with only one possible outcome.

  • volvoxvsmarla English
    1·
    11 months ago

    Several reasons.

    I think the most important one is to signal: I am not ok with this. And I never will be. Neither should you. This is not normal.

    Maybe the other one is to be able to later look back at your life and be able to think, I did something. No matter how poor the outcome, how little the chances, I took a stance. I spoke out. And this is much more than others can say. I did not just stand by while this was happening and waited for it to be over. I didn’t arrange with the new circumstances.

    Another one might be to expose the fraud. It is a reminder for people that this is happening again and again. It might wake someone up. If her being barred awakes one old babushka’s realization that everything is rigged, her run for candidacy was worth it.