Anti-war candidate says top Russian court backs barring her from challenging Putin

Russia’s Supreme Court has upheld the decision to reject former TV journalist Yekaterina Duntsova from participating in the upcoming presidential election in March. Duntsova, who opposes the war in Ukraine, confirmed the decision on Wednesday, stating that her appeal against the decision had been rejected by the Supreme Court. Members of the central electoral commission unanimously voted to reject Duntsova’s candidacy, citing “numerous violations” in the papers submitted in support of her bid.

Duntsova expressed her intention to establish a new political party for individuals who desired “peace, freedom, and democracy,” as she believed these ideas were appealing to millions of Russians whose voices were not being represented. Despite her relatively low popularity in Russia, with a core support base of only thousands in a country of over 140 million people, Duntsova had previously contested that her disqualification was unfair.

The central election commission maintained that its decisions were based on rules and procedures, emphasizing its role in ensuring that potential candidates adhere to the necessary guidelines. Incumbent Vladimir Putin, who has held power for over 20 years as either president or prime minister and faces minimal competition, is projected to secure another six-year term in March. The Kremlin cited opinion polls indicating Putin’s 80% approval rating and claimed that most Russians support Moscow’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Reporting by Reuters Writing by Andrew OsbornEditing by Gareth Jones