Fearing Normalization of Anti-War Sentiments, Kremlin Excludes Opposition Candidate From Presidential Ballot

Russia's decision to bar rising opposition candidate Boris Nadezhdin from running in the upcoming presidential election confirms the Kremlin's trepidations of opening the door to anti-war dissent while also underscoring the Kremlin's total control of the electoral process. On Feb. 8, Russia's Central Election Commission formally barred Nadezhdin, a former Russian parliamentarian and long-time liberal pundit who had been running on a vaguely anti-war platform, from participating in Russia's March 15-17 presidential election. The commission claimed, providing scant evidence, that irregularities rendering the signatures invalid had been found in around 15% of signatures presented in support of his candidacy. In January, Nadezhdin received the nomination of the opposition Civic Initiative party, suggesting that his participation had the preliminary approval of the Russian presidential administration....