How did President Putin secretly prepare for re-election?

Before officially submitting his re-election application earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed to have made very careful preparations for this plan, according to Vedomosti newspaper.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Reuters

TASS news agency reported that on December 28, the Russian Central Election Commission officially certified the group of voters supporting President Putin to run for re-election as an independent candidate. This move allows Mr. Putin to officially launch his re-election campaign and set up a campaign fund.

Commenting on Mr. Putin's preparations for re-election, Vedomosti newspaper said that it seems that the President's actions and decisions throughout 2017 are directly related to the re-election campaign.

The newspaper said that one of the most notable domestic policy achievements of President Putin's administration in the past year was the reshuffle of regional leadership. Specifically, in the period from January to April, he replaced 9 regional governors, and continued to replace 11 governors between September and October. "Everything was very carefully prepared," Vedomosti commented.

In terms of foreign affairs, the victory of the Russian army in Syria is also a “two-for-one” victory for President Putin, as it helps President Bashar Assad’s government stay in power and strengthens Russia’s influence in the Middle East. Vedomosti believes that this helps Mr. Putin create the foundation for a multipolar foreign policy in the next term if he is elected.

According to Vedomosti, the successful campaign in Syria also contributed significantly to Putin's re-election campaign. On the one hand, this helped strengthen Russia's image in the public's mind, and on the other hand, it also strengthened public confidence in a powerful army.

The announcement of withdrawing troops from Syria in the middle of this month after completing the more than 2-year mission of fighting terrorism, meanwhile, helps to promote the role of Russia in general and President Putin in particular as a "peacekeeper".

“This decision will please most Russians,” Vedomosti quoted sociological analysts as saying.

The Russian presidential election is scheduled to take place on March 18, 2018. According to information from the Russian Central Election Commission, the agency has received notice of plans to organize election campaigns from 21 parties and 30 independent members. Of which, 6 parties have successfully held conferences to nominate candidates.

On December 27, President Putin also personally submitted his candidacy as an independent candidate instead of representing the ruling United Russia party as before.

According to Dan Tri