Alexei Navalny's election program. Alexey Navalny presented his political program

Alexei Navalny is a well-known Russian oppositionist who has gained unprecedented popularity over the past few months thanks to the investigative film “He’s Not Dimon.” In it, FBK exposes the corrupt activities of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Now they know about Navalny and his activities not only in the territory Russian Federation, but also far beyond.

Alexei Navalny and the 2018 presidential elections

Alexei Navalny will participate in the 2018 presidential elections. Previously, the majority was skeptical about the participation of the oppositionist in the upcoming elections. However, now Alexei Navalny has received enormous support from the people. This is evidenced by the fact that in total more than 150 thousand citizens came out to the prohibited mass protests on March 26, which were organized by the oppositionist.

The founder of FBK was one of the first to present his election program. What will Alexei Navalny do if he does become president? You can find out the answer to this question by reading this article.

Navalny's presidential program 2018

The main leitmotif of Navalny’s 2018 presidential program is the fight against corruption. According to the oppositionist, brazen theft of the servants of the people is the main problem of today's Russia. However, the country may well get rid of this disease. To achieve this, Alexey Navalny proposes the following measures:

• If a civil servant leads a lifestyle that clearly does not correspond to his legal income, then in this case the deputy is obliged to explain himself. If the official cannot prove the legality of his additional income, then a criminal trial begins.
• If the media accuses an official of corruption, then in this case the civil servant must refute the information published. Otherwise, the servant of the people is removed from office, and a criminal case is opened against him.
• Anti-corruption cases should be carried out with maximum publicity. Corrupt officials must not escape justice.

In addition, Navalny, together with FBK, developed a whole set of laws that are aimed at making state-owned companies as transparent as possible. The founder of FBK wants to remove from management people who use state-owned companies as their feeding trough. The oppositionist also plans to fight corruption in government procurement.

Fight inequality

According to Navalny, on this moment more than 88% of NB belongs to a narrow circle of people. Because of this, people are poor. To correct this and combat inequality, the founder of FBK suggests the following:

• Impose a large one-time tax on the oligarchs who make money from the resale of raw materials and government contracts. According to the oppositionist, in this way it is possible to compensate for the injustice that arose due to the privatization of the 90s.
• Raise and develop business. To this end, Navalny plans to exempt individual entrepreneurs with a small income from reporting and taxes.
• Increase the minimum wage to 25 thousand. Navalny is confident that this step is completely feasible. As an example, he cites poor countries in which the average salary is higher than in modern Russia. With all this, the oppositionist plans to ensure that the size of the pension exceeds the subsistence level.

The founder of FBK declares that he will conduct the country’s economic policy in the interests of Russian people. After all, the oppositionist is not associated with the oligarchs and, accordingly, is unbiased.

Foreign policy

The oppositionist believes that Russia should use its advantageous location between Asia and Europe. Navalny wants rapprochement with European countries who are successful both economically and politically. Thus, Russia must become a respected partner and cooperate with the European Union on equal terms.

In addition, the oppositionist has been advocating for many years the introduction of a visa regime with Transcaucasia and Central Asia. Navalny is convinced that opening borders to poor Asian countries is unprofitable, and labor migrants are required to enter the country on special work visas.

One of the mottos of Navalny’s 2018 election program: “It’s better to trade than to fight.” Alexei Navalny intends to use the billions that are used to wage war in Syria and Ukraine to strengthen the economy and improve the lives of ordinary people.

According to leading analysts, the answer to the question: “Will Alexei Navalny be allowed to participate in the presidential elections?” will become the main intrigue of Russian political life in the coming winter. After all, many in our country pin their hopes for positive changes on the personality of the leader of the non-systemic opposition, and the news that Navalny is running for the Presidential elections in 2018 is awaited with great impatience.

Person A.A. Navalny is ambiguous. They are silent about it on federal television channels, they are not written about in central newspapers, and they are not reported on air on central radio stations. Nevertheless, it has a high rating and is very popular in RuNet, especially among schoolchildren and students. The blogger's current resource on the YouTube channel has the largest audience among politicians in the country - more than 1.5 million subscribers, and many of his videos collect sky-high numbers of views. For example, the film “He’s Not Dimon to You” - over 25 million.

At the same time, A.A. Navalny has multiple convictions, which prevents him from running in the 2018 elections. Criminal cases, according to himself public figure, fabricated, ordered and politically motivated by the authorities.

Putin's main critic V.V. repeatedly accused of anti-state activities through funding from abroad. The politician himself states that he is running an election campaign using donations and income from legal activities.

Will Navalny participate in the 2018 elections? Why does he have such enormous support in the Internet community and does he have a chance to win? What are the main theses contained in Navalny’s program for the 2018 presidential elections?

Well, let's figure it out.

short biography

Alexey Anatolyevich Navalny (date of birth: June 4, 1976) is a native of the village of Butyn, Odintsovo district, Moscow region. Two higher educations, graduated from:

• law faculty Russian University Friendship of Peoples (1998);
• Faculty of Finance and Credit of the Financial Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation (2001).

In 2010, he completed a six-month course under the global scholarship program at Yale University in New Haven, USA.

The labor activity of the future oppositionist is mainly connected with private business and jurisprudence. He is married to his wife Yulia and has a son and daughter.

Submitted documents to the CEC on December 24, 2017
The CEC refused registration on December 25, 2017 The court rejected the complaint against the CEC 01/06/2018

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the biography of Alexei Navalny. The birthplace of Alexei Navalny is considered to be the village of Butyn, Moscow region, Odintsovo district. He spent his childhood in military camps. Today the parents are already pensioners.

1993- 2001

Alexey received two higher educations. The year 1997 was marked by graduation from the Friendship of Peoples University (specialty in law). In 2001 he successfully graduated from the Financial Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation (profession economist). When I received the second higher education, had to work as a lawyer.

This year he decides to create a committee to protect Muscovites. Thanks to this program we united a large number of people, there were 100 groups of initiators. The groups were against infill development, but thanks to their cohesion they were able to ensure that they were covered.

Alexey has been living in a three-room apartment in the Maryino area with his wife and children for 20 years. Wife Yulia, daughter Dasha, son Zakhar studies in a regular school.

Navalny's real estate

According to some sources, to everyone’s surprise, Alexei (the defender of the people) has a mansion on Rublyovka. Recently, United Russia unveiled this luxury using video footage. It turns out that he became the owner of the mansion in December 2011. He purchased this house in the same year when the clashes took place on Bolotnaya Square in 2011. We can conclude that someone paid him for this Mini-Revolution. Mostly young people came to that rally; they just wanted to show themselves, their “I” and take unusual photos.

It turns out that instead of spending the money he earned (in an unclear way) to overthrow the “regime,” he buys himself a huge house, which tarnished his reputation as an oppositionist. Reviews about Navalny After that, the internet wasn’t as rosy as before.

Here you can apply the phrase: “If you want to make money, start a small war,” which he hastened to do. State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said: “Shame and disgrace.”

What can you see in Navalny's mansion? Tennis court, bath complex, boat station, Browder's house. “United Russia” commented on this situation as follows: “It immediately becomes clear that Navalny was bought, and he is ready to destroy the country from the inside for the sake of money.” Revenues for Lately have increased greatly and, according to some estimates, exceed the personal fortune of Igor Sechin.

Navalny about Putin

What Alexei Navalny says about V.V. Putin ? On July 12, Alexey recorded a video message to the president, in which he responded to his accusations that Alexey has no basis, creates clashes, “sucks” all the information out of the people’s fingers, performs unconstructive actions, confuses people and makes money from it money). In the video he told Vladimir Vladimirovich "Thief, stop stealing".

Navalny's choice of politician

Navalny intends to take part in the elections in 2018. Available. But as everyone understands, only the Kremlin can allow him, we think that he will not be allowed to do this. So far, only Khodorkovsky has supported Alexey. Navalny published an appeal to supporters on his website: “I understand that it will be difficult to resist the current government, and , It’s possible that they won’t even be chosen as a candidate, but we have to fight.”

Navalny family

WITH future wife met in Turkey in 1999. At that time she bore the surname Abrosimova. The holiday romance ended with a wedding and in 2001 Alexey and his wife had a daughter, Dasha, who is now 15 years old and a son in 2008 - today he is 9.

In the family, Yulia maintains comfort and harmony, while Alexey is involved in politics and work, bringing money to the family.

Opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who was not allowed to participate in the 2018 presidential elections due to a criminal record, does not give up trying to gain Russia's sympathy. On the eve of the big press conference of current President Vladimir Putin, he published his own program.

Compound " Expert Council presidential candidate Alexei Navalny,” published along with the program, clearly indicates that we are dealing with a pro-Western liberal. The council, in particular, included Boris Akunin, Vladimir Milov, Sergei Aleksashenko, Elena Lukyanova and Pavel Chikov.

Meanwhile, the document is replete with proposals that would be appropriate in the program of a “left” politician. Among them are an increase in the minimum wage in Russia to 25 thousand rubles, mortgages at 2% per annum, radical reform of the pension system, etc.

Navalny proposes to solve the problem of unfair privatization (namely, according to surveys, the absolute majority of Russians consider it as such, according to surveys) by introducing a compensation tax. True, its specific size is not indicated in any way. This leaves the oligarchs the opportunity to pay off the people with minimal amounts.

Business has not been forgotten either. He was promised a reduction in payroll taxes from 30% to 15%. Navalny’s favorite fight against corruption will be carried out special structure, withdrawn from the composition law enforcement. The politician proposes to reduce the share of the state's presence in the economy.

Navalny wants to see the army exclusively contract-based. The conscription will be canceled, and contract soldiers themselves will become one of the highest paid categories Russian citizens. Each of them was promised a salary of 200 thousand rubles.

With countries Central Asia and Transcaucasia, it is proposed to introduce a visa regime - labor migrants must come on work visas. “Our country benefits from political and economic rapprochement with prosperous European countries,” Navalny dreams, without specifying why Europe needs this.

The politician also puts forward a thesis that was popular during “perestroika” about the undesirability of Russia playing an active role in international politics. “Those hundreds of billions that Russia is now throwing away on wars in Syria and Ukraine, on helping distant countries, would be better spent on improving life at home,” Navalny seduces the reader.

At the same time, on what is perhaps the most fundamental issue for every resident of the country - the ownership of Crimea, Navalny casts a shadow over the fence. “The Russian position on this issue will be determined by the recognition of the right of the peoples of Crimea to independently decide their fate,” the program says. For some reason, Navalny ignores the fact that an independent determination - a referendum - has already taken place.

Economist, Professor of the Department of International Finance at MGIMO Valentin Katasonov draws attention to the fact that Navalny, speaking about possible sources of social meaningful proposals, is afraid to touch offshore capital withdrawn from Russia.

You can draw many good, socially significant points of the program. But what sources of financing does Mr. Navalny propose to lower wage taxes and increase the region’s share of distributed taxes?

“SP”: - He specifically mentions part of the VAT, mineral extraction tax and excise taxes on tobacco and strong alcohol...

These politicians are demagogues. They are like hell afraid of the main thing - they don’t want to talk about serious sources of financing their good wishes. If Navalny only mentions these sources, then he, as a politician, will completely disappear from the horizon. I mean, first of all, the, conditionally, trillion dollars that are now located outside of Russia and are called offshore assets. So, Navalny, and I follow him, constantly avoids this topic.

In turn, vice-president of the International Academy of Mortgage and Real Estate Irina Radchenko explained why mortgages at 2% in Russia are still unrealistic.

Unfortunately, Alexey Navalny disappointed me. From the part of his program that promises a mortgage at two percent, one does not feel that he is an expert in economics. Making such populist statements is ridiculous.

“SP”: - Well, why? He refers to the experience of developed countries...

In Russia now the key rate is 8%. This is the rate at which the Central Bank offers money to banks. They have to add their margin. This is at least 1%. But since we're talking about about a loan, a risky instrument, then 2% is better. That is, it turns out to be at least 10%. Where will the 2% come from?

Theoretically, this could happen if the economy grows rapidly. Then perhaps we will see mortgages at 3.5%, as in Europe, or at 3%, as in the USA. But now we are marking time. Growth is about zero. That is, you need to dance based on the key rate. This is rather a general economic issue and concerns not only mortgages.

“SP”: - So you can’t count on a cheap mortgage?

There are non-market mechanisms that allow you to reduce mortgage rates. You've probably heard about a mortgage at 6% per annum for families whose second or third child will be born. But this will be done from the budget.

In addition, in 2015-2016 there was support for all builders and in new-building apartments the mortgage rate was reduced by 2-3%. This was also at the expense of the state budget. That is, such targeted actions are possible for a certain period, but there is no need to declare populist ones.

According to the head of the “Finance and Economics” department of the Institute modern development Nikita Maslennikov , Navalny’s pension proposals, although not original, are an important signal to the authorities.

It is significant that in the context of the beginning election campaign, the issue of reformatting the pension system is becoming a priority. This is a signal to the authorities that delays in this matter are beginning to cause social irritation. In this sense, Navalny’s proposals express a social demand for clarity in the strategy for the development of the pension system.

"SP": - What are the current trends?

The replacement rate (the ratio of the average pension to the average salary) this year is about 35%. A few years ago it was 38%. But by 2020, that is, by the year the current three-year budget period ends, we will reach the level of 30.5%. That is, the deterioration of pension provision is obvious. This is objective data included in the budget. By 2020, a transfer aimed at covering the deficit Pension Fund, will amount to more than 1.8 trillion. rubles Obviously, solutions are required to balance the pension system.

“SP”: - How can you evaluate Navalny’s specific proposals on this issue? For example, the creation of a special fund at the Pension Fund, where income from natural resources will be transferred...

It's like doubling entities. We already have a National Welfare Fund, which is formed according to the new budget rule from additional revenues from oil and gas exports. The cut-off price is $40 per barrel. That is, if oil now costs 63 dollars, 23 of them will go to the National Welfare Fund. Let me remind you that the legislator initially defined its function as balancing the pension system. Why create another fund?

As for the return of the funded part of pensions, a more thorough approach is required. It is not clear how to give them away, because it was a legislative decision. Therefore, we need to talk not about returning funds, but about rebooting the pension system as such. New model has a name - individual pension capital. But there are many details that will have to be resolved before it launches.

That is, Navalny doesn’t really offer anything new; rather, he even simplifies it. But the very fact of addressing this issue is important, since it has its own audience, they listen to it, they follow it. We already have 42 million pensioners.

This is obvious populism, an expert from the Academy of Military Sciences criticizes Navalny’s army reform Vladimir Prokhvatilov . - Russia needs an army where there are conscripts, contract soldiers, and private military companies too. IN high circles The army reacts negatively to the idea of ​​abolishing conscription. Because in the event of a serious military conflict with a power comparable to us in military potential, even in Ukraine... Try to drive a contract soldier there. There is an axiom - mercenaries are good only in wars with a weak enemy. Massive revolutionary armies France was completely beaten by the mercenary armies of Prussia, Austria-Hungary, etc.

Navalny is right in many ways when it comes to corruption, but this particular point of the program, about the army, is clearly populist. It aims to gain support from lower-middle-class families who find it difficult to avoid conscription. It would be better if he talked about the need to control the army, prevent hazing, solve problems with troublemakers with North Caucasus. And that the grass there should not be forced to be painted and the general's dachas built.

A lawyer commented on the idea of ​​creating a separate anti-corruption structure not related to law enforcement agencies Ilya Craft.

As a lawyer, it’s funny for me to hear this. How can a structure vested with the powers of a special service be outside of law enforcement agencies? This is kind of surr... We just saw what came out of this “wonderful” idea in Ukraine. There is now a fierce confrontation between the Prosecutor General's Office and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau. As a rule, intelligence agencies begin to pursue their own interests and enter into conflicts with other departments.

Where will such a structure receive operational information from? Where will they get the facts of corruption? Watch social networks? Navalny simply has no experience in the law enforcement system.

But Navalny’s idea to introduce a visa regime with the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus, albeit with reservations, met with understanding.

Russia, of course, should introduce entry visas for Central Asian migrants, the president of the Institute for National Strategy is confident Mikhail Remizov. “But she shouldn’t position it as a breakup or “ iron curtain" We should talk about restoring order and returning control tools. But talk about the need for rapprochement with a prosperous Europe - that is, about a geopolitical break with the East - significantly reduces the chances that such measures will be taken.

We ourselves must assume and teach our partners in Central Asia that this will be the norm in our relations until a number of socio-economic problems are resolved in these countries. Naturally, we should not reduce the level of cooperation in the field of security or economic exchange.

“SP”: - And Transcaucasia?

Of course, fewer labor migrants come from there. And there are also fewer challenges associated with Islamism. But nevertheless, work visas, as a tool for establishing order, are needed here too. We need positive selection of labor resources. But the difficulty here is that Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are already part of the EAEU. In my opinion, these were controversial decisions. Now these problems will have to be solved using internal regulation tools.

A political analyst at the International Monitoring Organization CIS-EMO notes Navalny’s caution on issues of Crimea and Russian foreign policy.

Navalny’s position on Crimea is very ambivalent. Until recently, he was proud that, unlike the old liberals, he raised the national question. He said that the Russians are the largest divided people in Europe. But when the Crimean referendum happened and the division of Russians decreased somewhat, about two million Crimeans were added, his rhetoric changed dramatically. He began to criticize the referendum procedure, proposing to conduct it according to Ukrainian laws. According to which, by the way, it is simply impossible to hold a referendum on separation from the state. As, by the way, in Russian.

Now he points out that many territorial issues in the world have not been resolved and the Crimean issue is in the same category. This position, of course, irritates both warring groups of opinions on Crimea. Some demand from him unconditional recognition of Crimea as Russian, others - as Ukrainian.

As for Navalny's thesis about whether it is right to spend the country's money on external operations, instead of spending it internally, there is no clear solution. There is not a single country in the world that has solved all its problems within itself and therefore suddenly decided to carry out an active foreign policy. Although such statements are understandable from the point of view of populist rhetoric and criticism of the authorities: abandon Syria, incl. from our military bases there, and build normal roads in Smolensk.

Illustration copyright Valeriy Sharifulln/TASS Image caption Navalny is one of the most recognizable Russian oppositionists

Four months before the Russian presidential elections, the Kremlin has decided on the main intrigue of the election campaign: who will be the rivals of President Vladimir Putin. After several months of non-public consultations, officials decided: Putin’s main opponent, founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation Alexei Navalny, will not be registered as a candidate.

This was reported to the BBC Russian Service on condition of anonymity by an interlocutor in the presidential administration, who took part in the discussion of the scenarios, but is not authorized to comment to the media.

This is also confirmed by a BBC interlocutor close to the administration, who is also not authorized to speak officially. The head of the Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, also announced the politician’s inability to participate in the elections on Tuesday.

And so they will come

Putin has not yet announced his participation in the elections, but according to an October poll by the Levada Center, he is the undisputed number one candidate: 64% of those planning to vote are ready to support him.

However, the Kremlin is not concerned about Putin’s victory, but about turnout. Russians' interest in predetermined elections is falling: turnout in the 2016 State Duma elections and in the 2017 regional elections was quite low.

In order to legitimize the election results, increase turnout and create intrigue in the election campaign, the Kremlin discussed the possibility of admitting Navalny to the elections, Bloomberg wrote at the beginning of the year. Navalny is one of the most recognizable Russian opposition figures: according to a July survey by the Levada Center, 55% of Russians surveyed know about him.

Indirectly, the discussion of the likelihood of Navalny’s participation in the election campaign was evidenced by the comments of the head of the Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova: in July, she said that Navalny has a chance to be registered if a miracle happens: the expungement of his criminal record or urgent changes to laws.

• “The presidential administration will not resort to any tricks or tailoring of legislation to suit a specific citizen,” says the BBC’s interlocutor in the presidential administration.

Now Pamfilova spoke more categorically. On Tuesday, speaking at the World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi, the head of the Central Election Commission categorically stated that Navalny now has no right to participate in the upcoming elections. “Somewhere in 2028 plus five months,” Pamfilova calculated when he could become a presidential candidate.

The decision to keep Navalny out has been made and it is unequivocal, a BBC interlocutor in the presidential administration said. The presence or absence of Navalny on the ballot does not affect interest in the elections or turnout: they themselves are interesting for voters, Gleb Kuznetsov, head of the EISI expert center close to the Kremlin, told the BBC.

“Why should someone come up with an intrigue? All external intrigues and the selection of participants interesting to the press do not affect the turnout in any way. Elections of the so-called referendum type usually take place with even a higher turnout than competitive ones,” Kuznetsov concluded.

What is preventing Navalny from advancing?

Alexei Navalny announced his intention to participate in the presidential elections back in December 2016. Since then, he has been actively campaigning: he opened 79 election headquarters in different regions Russia (statistics from his election website) and held several protests involving thousands of people. The headquarters are looking for supporters who will help Navalny register as a self-nominated candidate: according to the law, he needs to collect 300 thousand voter signatures.

• In September, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which oversees the implementation of ECHR decisions, spoke out in support of Navalny’s right to be elected: the committee expressed concern that the applicants continue to suffer from the consequences of the verdicts and proposed Russian authorities urgently use ways to eliminate the consequences, in particular, the ban on Navalny’s participation in the elections.

However, according to Russian law, Navalny cannot take part in the upcoming 2018 elections. In 2013, the Kirov court sentenced him to five years probation in the Kirovles case. For ten years after expunging his criminal record, he cannot run for president.

Navalny’s lawyers managed to challenge the verdict once: in February 2016, the European Court of Human Rights recognized that the Russian side violated the rights of Navalny and the second convicted person, Pyotr Ofitserov, to a fair trial. Russia's Supreme Court overturned the verdict, sending it back for a new trial, and Navalny temporarily regained the right to run for office.

But at the beginning of 2017, the same Kirov court again sentenced Navalny to a suspended sentence; in May, the sentence came into force, and now Navalny is again deprived of the right to stand for election.

Navalny's supporters consider the ban on participation in the elections to be unfounded. “Alexey can run for office on the basis of the Constitution: according to it, only people in prison cannot do this. And the decisions that the ECHR makes in favor of Alexey over and over again indicate that the sentences Russian ships against him are unfair and cannot be an obstacle to his participation in the elections,” Navalny’s press secretary Kira Yarmysh told the BBC.

Will there be more candidates?

Despite the decision to refuse admission to Putin’s main political opponent, the presidential administration would not like to limit itself to the traditional selection of candidates from parliamentary parties. This is necessary to demonstrate that critics of the government are not barred from participating in the elections.

“There is an understanding that some of the radical oppositionists will want to show up. Either [Dmitry] Gudkov will want to promote himself before the mayoral elections. Or Lev Shlosberg,” says a BBC interlocutor in the presidential administration. According to him, if they decide to participate in the elections, the Kremlin will not interfere with them.

However, these candidates themselves do not plan to be nominated. The head of the Pskov branch of Yabloko, Lev Shlosberg, in a conversation with the BBC, said that he would support the candidacy of party leader Grigory Yavlinsky, who should be nominated at the upcoming congress in December. Ex-deputy Dmitry Gudkov also stated that he “has an agreement with Yavlinsky.”

A candidate from the Growth Party will definitely be nominated; internal party primaries are now taking place there, says a presidential administration official. Earlier, RBC reported that business ombudsman Boris Titov, ex-State Duma deputy Oksana Dmitrieva, Internet ombudsman Dmitry Marinichev and businessman Dmitry Potapenko are participating in the preliminary elections. In addition, it is expected that other “small parties” not represented in the Duma will nominate their candidates, the BBC’s interlocutor says.

Another possible participant in the elections, to whom the Kremlin has no objection, is TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak, BBC sources previously reported. She herself neither confirmed nor denied her participation in the campaign. And in early October, her friends said, she met with Putin and talked to him alone.

Traditionally, the leaders of the LDPR Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov and A Just Russia Sergei Mironov are expected to participate in the elections. “The LDPR will certainly participate in the elections, the main candidate is Vladimir Zhirinovsky,” his assistant told the BBC. " Just Russia“All decisions on the presidential election - on participation and candidacy - will be made at the congress, an assistant to the head of the Social Revolutionaries, Sergei Mironov, told the BBC. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation reported that they will officially announce the nomination of their candidate at the congress in December.

In September, Boris Yakemenko, brother of the founder and former leader of the Nashi movement, Vasily Yakemenko, already announced his intention to participate in the presidential elections. Political strategist Andrei Bogdanov, who had already participated in the 2008 elections and gained 1.29%, announced his desire to become a presidential candidate.

Vladimir Putin has not yet announced his decision to run again in the elections, but preparations for his nomination are in full swing. He is expected to announce his plans in December.

Will there be intrigue?

The presence among the candidates of a real oppositionist who seriously criticizes Putin would, of course, increase interest in the elections, says political scientist Abbas Gallyamov. But the advantages of Navalny’s admission for the Kremlin end there, and there are many more disadvantages.

“By admitting Navalny, you are essentially admitting that he is not an American spy, although earlier you argued the opposite. Our people simply will not understand such liberalism,” says Gallyamov.

In addition, it is not clear how Putin’s voter will behave when he hears the oppositionist’s exposure on Channel One. “No one can predict his reaction in advance. No matter how high Putin’s ratings are, they are based on the absence of criticism,” says the political scientist.

Finally, by registering Navalny, there is a risk of inspiring his supporters and demoralizing the pro-government voter, Gallyamov notes: “Navalny will definitely interpret the fact of registration as his victory. As a result, the turnout among his supporters will reach 100%, and they will spend the campaign itself on the rise, pulling into their camp of a significant portion of undecided voters."

“The question whether Navalny has or does not have the right to participate in the elections is a false question. He is already quite obviously a participant in these elections. But everything is still ahead. Therefore, I think that we will see the warming up of the campaign by December and, apparently, a clash between the authorities and those citizens , which demand that Navalny be given the opportunity to participate,” says political scientist Gleb Pavlovsky.

According to Pavlovsky, Putin is withstanding the intrigue, “he intends to blow up a campaign in which he is not yet present, he is on the sidelines.” “I think that today there is no such thing as a single opinion of the Kremlin. There are different positions, all of them are not finalized, since there is no open political stage on which they can express themselves,” the political scientist concludes.