Boris Nadezhdin, an anti-war presidential candidate in Russia, announced plans to appeal to the Supreme Court after being barred from the upcoming March election, where President Vladimir Putin is anticipated to secure a victory. The Central Election Commission (CEC) cited irregularities in the signatures collected to support Nadezhdin’s candidacy, including allegations of signatures from deceased individuals, as the reason for his disqualification. According to the CEC, these issues prevented Nadezhdin from meeting the requirement of 100,000 authenticated signatures needed for candidacy.
Nadezhdin, known for his critical stance against the Kremlin’s actions, particularly the military operation in Ukraine, which he terms a “fatal mistake,” had aimed to offer a platform for ending the conflict through negotiations. Despite skepticism about his chances against Putin, who has maintained a tight grip on Russian politics since 1999, Nadezhdin’s campaign garnered attention for its outspoken criticism of the government’s policies.
The Kremlin, through spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, stated that the CEC’s decision was based on procedural compliance, emphasizing that the necessary conditions for registration were not met. Nadezhdin, however, remains determined to challenge the decision, urging his supporters to persist in their demand for political change in Russia.