Slutsky’s Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) is one of the political formations that on paper are part of the opposition, but in reality loyally follow the Kremlin boss.
“I am not going to call for a vote against Putin,” Slutsky said on Tuesday. “To vote for Slutsky and for the LDPR is absolutely not to vote against Putin. I’m not going to take votes away from the president of Russia. The consolidation of society around Putin is absolutely unprecedented.”
The party was the first to announce that Slutsky is a candidate in the Russian presidential elections. A few other candidacies from politicians equally loyal to the Kremlin are likely to follow.
The 55-year-old Slutsky chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee in the State Duma and is a staunch supporter of the war in Ukraine that Putin started almost two years ago.
The March 2024 election is seen as a formality for Putin, who has been in power for almost a quarter of a century. The opposition has been virtually eradicated and the repression of critical voices has increased even further since the start of the raid.
LOOK. This is how Putin announced his candidacy:
LOOK. Putin: “Ukraine has no future”