Jailed Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, is urging his supporters to participate in the upcoming regional elections in Russia, despite an almost certain victory for President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party. In a blog post on Monday, Navalny called on Russians to vote for any candidate on the ballot who is not affiliated with Putin’s party. He emphasized the importance of continuing to participate in elections, stating that free and fair elections would eventually be held in Russia.
Navalny acknowledged that the Kremlin has consistently prevented prominent opposition figures from appearing on the ballot in previous years. However, his coordinated protest-voting strategy, which focuses on supporting a specific opposition candidate, has shown that an opposition movement can influence political events. This time, Navalny admitted that the intensity of repression has rendered this strategy ineffective. Nevertheless, he encouraged his supporters to back opposition candidates at the regional level who are deserving of support.
Navalny’s call to action comes after protests were organized worldwide by his Anti-Corruption Foundation. The protests, which took place in various European cities and Australia, aimed to challenge Putin’s hold on power, condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and protest against the detention of dissidents. In Berlin, a small crowd marched from the hospital where Navalny was treated for poisoning to the Brandenburg Gate, carrying signs denouncing Putin and expressing support for Ukraine.
Leonid Volkov, Navalny’s longtime chief of staff, highlighted the importance of engaging with people in Europe and the West, stating that it was a crucial part of their work. However, the turnout in Berlin was smaller than expected, despite the city’s large population of Russian immigrants and its role as a hub for Russian exiles. Daria Dudley, a Russian national who organized the rally, attributed the lower turnout to exhaustion among supporters.
Russian attendees at the rally in Berlin emphasized their sense of responsibility to speak out, particularly in support of imprisoned opposition figures, from the safety they feel in Germany. Natasha Ivanova, a Russian living in Germany for decades, expressed her refusal to remain silent, stating that she couldn’t watch quietly after the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
As the regional elections approach, Navalny’s call for participation carries significance, despite the expected victory for Putin’s United Russia party. It remains to be seen how Russians will respond to his appeal and whether their participation can still have an impact on the political landscape in the country.