The Supreme Court of Russia has conclusively denied Boris Nadezhdin's bid to register as a candidate for the upcoming presidential elections, solidifying the Central Election Commission's earlier prohibition, as reported by Interfax.
On February 21, the appellate body of the Supreme Court upheld the legality of the decision that prevented Nadezhdin from entering the election race. The dismissal came from Judge Oleg Nefedov, known for his controversial ruling against the non-existent “LGBTQ movement” and for barring anti-war candidate Ekaterina Duntsova from the elections.
Nefedov also rejected Nadezhdin's challenge against the Central Election Commission's signature sheet requirements.
Nadezhdin has announced plans to appeal to the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, continuing his fight against the electoral exclusion.
As it stands, the Central Election Commission has approved only four candidates for the March 2024 presidential elections: Nikolai Kharitonov from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky, “New People” representative Vladislav Davankov, and the incumbent President Vladimir Putin.
This decision to exclude Nadezhdin reportedly came directly from the Kremlin after observing significant public support for him, with long lines of citizens eager to endorse his candidacy.
According to two Russian officials involved in the presidential election process who spoke to The Moscow Times, "We should have only one politician who is publicly loved by the people. This is Putin," one of them explained, highlighting the strategic move to limit electoral competition.
