By Manal Abdel Fattah
Vladimir Putin’s inauguration is scheduled for May 7, 2024. The dictator, who has for the fifth time been “elected” to the country’s top post will illegally rule the nation for at least another six years.
The ceremony will be used by the Kremlin primarily to claim that Putin has tackled his international isolation issues that the international community has finally recognized his legitimacy.
Putin’s ultimate goal is to engage as many foreign leaders and top representatives from international organizations to attend his big show – only to claim his “legitimacy” and demonstrate “support” for his policies to continue the war against Ukraine.
Meanwhile, on April 25, the European Parliament condemned presidential “elections” in Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories, and called on the EU not to recognize Vladimir Putin’s legitimacy after his current cadence terminates on May 7.
The corresponding resolution saw support from 493 MEPs.
In the resolution, the Putin regime is accused of illegally extending his stay in power, abolishing the cap on on the number of presidential terms.
The so-called “elections” are evidence of the deeply authoritarian and anti-democratic nature of the Russian political system and a cover for the Putin regime to further consolidate its power, the resolution reads.
Earlier, on April 16, the Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted to not recognize Putin’s legitimacy in the presidential post, and also laid down a provision on recognizing his regime as a dictatorship.
It is obvious that numerous violations, mass falsification, and intimidation of voters were recorded during Russia’s “presidential elections”.
Neither opposition candidates nor independent observers were allowed into the electoral process.
The so-called “elections” had nothing to do with freedom and justice whatsoever.
In the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the local population was forced to vote in these sham elections, often under strict control from the military.
In fact, it was an attempt by the Putin regime to add legitimacy to the illegal occupation of territories.
Even five years ago, the conclusion of the Venice Commission regarding the illegitimacy of the elections to the Russian State Duma held in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in 2016 proved showed the international community’s strong condemnation of Russia’s illegal and criminal actioned.
Today, Putin is losing not only international legitimacy, but also the favor of his own people, despite the record-high public “support” recorded in the latest falsified election.
Further strengthening of Russia’s international isolation and pressure on the Putin regime will contribute to ending the war and leveling threats to the civilized world. Due to the whims of their “president”, Russia is rapidly losing its authority and status of a state that was once among world leaders.
