Putin registered as presidential candidate
December 20th, 2011 - 4:41 pm ICT by IANSMoscow, Dec 20 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russia’s Central Election Commission registered Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as a presidential candidate Tuesday for elections March 4, 2012, RIA Novosti reported.
Putin, who is likely to return to power after having served two presidential terms from 2000 to 2008, became the first candidate to be registered by the Central Election Commission.
Among other candidates who may challenge Putin in the presidential race are the leaders of Russian parties, including A Just Russia chief Sergei Mironov, nationalist LDPR party president Vladimir Zhirinovsky, as well as Communist party candidate Gennady Zyuganov, and liberal Yabloko Party candidate Grigory Yavlinsky.
The independent candidates who were allowed to bid for presidency are the former mayor of the Russian Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, Viktor Cherepkov, Irkutsk Regional Governor Dmitry Mezentsev, Orenburg public figure Renat Khamiev, leader of unregistered Volya (Will) party Svetlana Piunova and billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov. In order to be registered as full-fledged candidates they need to collect two million signatures across the country in their support.
All presidential candidates will continue to fulfil their work obligations during their election campaigns, election commission secretary Nikolay Konkin said.
“The prime minister does not need to leave his post during the election campaign,” Konkin said, adding that the same applies to the other candidates.
Last week during his annual Q&A; televised session, Putin, who heads the United Russia party without being its member, said that he considered himself the main contender in the presidential elections.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
rd/vt
- Medvedev urges United Russia to ensure Putin wins - Dec 18, 2011
- Putin's poll office to cooperate with election monitors - Feb 03, 2012
- (After 2) Russia all set for an interesting presidential poll - Dec 21, 2011
- Three Russian presidential candidates denied registration - Jan 21, 2012
- Putin files papers for presidential bid - Dec 08, 2011
- 'Extremist' author files Russian presidential papers - Nov 29, 2011
- Support for Putin on the rise, survey shows - Jan 13, 2012
- 700 observers to monitor Russian presidential poll - Mar 01, 2012
- Russia opens first probe into alleged poll fraud - Dec 16, 2011
- Russia observes 'Day of Silence' ahead of polls - Dec 03, 2011
- US looks forward to working with Putin - Mar 06, 2012
- Russian billionaire Prokhorov joins presidential race - Jan 26, 2012
- Russian city approves fair election protest - Jan 31, 2012
- Russian election chief wants transparent ballot boxes - Dec 23, 2011
- Putin votes in parliament polls - Dec 04, 2011
Tags: candidate gennady zyuganov, central election commission, commission secretary, election campaigns, elections march, grigory yavlinsky, independent candidates, ldpr, mikhail prokhorov, party candidate, party president, presidential elections, regional governor, ria novosti russia, russian parties, s central, sergei mironov, vladimir putin, volya, work obligations