Russian Lawmakers Set Date For Presidential Election

Russian lawmakers have set the date of the 2024 presidential election for March 17, moving Vladimir Putin closer to a fifth term in office. Putin hasn’t yet announced his intention to run again but is widely expected to do so in the coming days now that the date has been set. Under constitutional reforms he orchestrated, he is eligible to seek two more six-year terms after his current one expires next year, potentially allowing him to remain in power until 2036. Having established tight control over Russia’s political system, Putin’s victory in the March election is all but assured. Prominent critics who could challenge him on the ballot are either in jail or living abroad, and most independent media have been banned.