Russia: Putin wins March 18 election in landslide /update 2

Event

As expected, incumbent President Vladimir Putin handily won the March 18 Russian presidential election. As of the morning of Monday, March 19 (local time), the Central Election Commission (CEC) had reported that Putin garnered roughly 76.7 percent of the vote with nearly 100 percent of the votes counted.

Context

The CEC claimed on Monday that there were no serious instances of violations reported during the election. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), however, asserted that limitations on candidate registration and personal freedoms suppressed electoral competition.

Putin's March 18 win formally grants him the presidency until 2024. He faced little opposition in the election as prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny was barred from running due to previous arrests. Navalny had organized a series of protests over the election in recent months.

Advice

Individuals in Russia are advised to avoid any potential protests as a precaution and to adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.