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- Feb 16, 2016
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Russian anti-war candidate blocked from facing Putin in presidential election
Independent Yekaterina Duntsova, 40, wanted to run on a platform to end the war with Ukraine
Russian anti-war candidate blocked from facing Putin in presidential election
An independent politician who wanted to challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin in next year’s presidential election on a platform to end the Ukraine War has been disqualified.
www.foxnews.com
A former TV journalist and Ukraine War critic has been disqualified from running against Russian President Vladimir Putin in next year’s presidential election.
Yekaterina Duntsova, 40, an independent politician who wanted to run on a platform to end the war with Ukraine, had her candidacy application unanimously rejected by the country’s electoral commission on Saturday, which cited "numerous violations" in the papers she had submitted.
Duntsova had submitted her application on Wednesday having secured the endorsement of 500 supporters as required by Russian election law.
The commission found 100 errors in her nomination papers, including mistakes in the spelling of names, according to a Telegram channel close to Duntsova’s campaign.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) also had reason to believe that the minutes of the meeting with her supporters were prepared after the meeting itself, according to the Russian news outlet Kommersant. That meant that the election commission could not establish the size of the group itself, or its composition.
The decision is almost certain to reinforce critics' views that the Kremlin will not tolerate any serious contender to go up against Putin in what will be the first presidential election since the start of the 22-month-long war with Ukraine. They have long viewed it as a fake process with only one possible outcome.
~Snip~
Duntsova, who is also a lawyer and was a member of a local legislature, wrote on Telegram that she would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court, calling it unjustified and undemocratic.
"With this political decision, we are deprived of the opportunity to have our own representative and express views that differ from the official aggressive discourse," Duntsova wrote.
~Snip~
Voting will take place over three days. The three-day window was first used during the COVID-19 pandemic, with officials saying it is more convenient for voters.
Extensions to the national voting window have been criticized as a risk to election integrity, necessitating ballots being kept safe overnight and complicating the jobs of poll watchers.
Voting will also be open to four regions of Ukraine partially and illegally annexed by Russia.
The CEC reported that 29 candidates had applied for nomination.
Commentary:
Just as Joey Biden has attempted to do, Putin us interfering with the next election that he intends to win. Whether he stops stops Duntsova before the election, using lawfare and/or ultimately poisoning/assassinating his opposition will Putin succeed, or will the Russian People speak out?
Does this sound familiar?
Will this be a repeat of the Hillary steal from Sanders n 2016 and Biden's presidential electoral theft of 2020?
"The recent efforts to remove President Trump from several state ballots, and the sidelining of Democratic voices like Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, as well as independent candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reflect a concerning trend in American politics. This mirrors the suppression seen in authoritarian regimes, albeit in a different context. In a true democracy, every voice deserves to be heard, and the electorate should have the right to choose from a diverse array of candidates. Silencing legitimate challengers, regardless of their political affiliation, undermines the very essence of democratic elections. It's essential to uphold the principles of free and fair elections, allowing voters to decide their leaders, not backroom politics or legal maneuverings. As conservatives committed to democracy and the rule of law, it's crucial to voice opposition to any actions that impede open, fair, and competitive elections. This isn't just about one candidate or party; it's about preserving the integrity and foundational principles of our democratic system."
Only in Russia can a candidate be blocked from running. Oops, almost forgot Colorado.