Russia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) on Monday registered Vladimir Putin as a presidential candidate for the upcoming election that will be held on March 15-17, 2024.
"To register a candidate for the position of the President of the Russian Federation — Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, born in 1952, [decision made on] January 29, 2024 at 11:23 a.m [08:23 a.m. GMT]," the commission said.
Recent polling by leading Russian state-affiliated public opinion institutions suggests that Putin has overwhelming support among potential voters, with survey by the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) finding that 70 percent of Russians want him to run again, while 15 percent believe he should step down as president but remain in the country's leadership in some capacity.
Separately, a poll by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) this week found that 78 percent of Russians plan to take part in next year's vote.