Politics can be unpredictable, but what just happened in Berezovsky, Russia, is something few saw coming.
A small city near Yekaterinburg is now dealing with a bizarre election result that has left even the winner scrambling to avoid taking office.
Yevgeny Pistsov, the long-time mayor of Berezovsky, was running for his fourth consecutive term, writes Oddity Central.
His victory seemed certain. His only opponent was Yulia Maslakova, a member of his administration and the wife of his personal driver.
She wasn’t seen as a serious candidate. In fact, she admitted she had entered the race just to provide some competition.
But when the votes were counted, the unthinkable happened. Maslakova won. Now, she’s doing everything she can to avoid becoming the city’s next mayor.
Unlike in some other places, the mayor of Berezovsky isn’t elected directly by the people. Instead, a selection committee presents candidates, and local deputies vote on them.
This year, deputies had asked for more candidates, but they were only given two choices: Pistsov or Maslakova.
When the vote took place, 17 out of 23 deputies chose Maslakova over the sitting mayor.
Many believe this was their way of pushing back against Pistsov’s refusal to let them select their own candidate.
No one was more surprised than Maslakova herself. When she realized she had won, she tried to withdraw, but it was too late.
She had already secured the position. Now, she has two weeks to take the oath and officially become mayor.
According to sources in the regional government, she has refused the position, saying she doesn’t want to work in an atmosphere of conflict.
If she doesn’t take office within 15 days, a new election will be held. However, political analysts doubt Pistsov will get another chance.
His defeat was seen as an embarrassment, and experts believe regional authorities won’t support a weak candidate.
The situation remains unclear, but one thing is certain. This election has taken an unexpected turn, leaving the city of Berezovsky in a political mess.
And one can’t help but wonder—was Maslakova’s hesitation influenced by the fact that, as mayor, her husband would become her personal driver?
