Putin wins with almost 64 pc of vote
Russian leader Vladimir Putin crushed his rivals in presidential
elections with almost 64 percent of the vote, according to results
published yesterday based on an almost complete vote count. Putin won
63.97 percent of the vote in Sunday’s polls, well ahead of his nearest
rival the Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov who won 17.18 percent,
based on a count of the vote from 98.47 percent of polling stations.
Third place went to tycoon-turned-politician Mikhail Prokhorov with 7.7
percent, a performance seen as a breakthrough as the billionaire had
only announced his intention to run late last year.
Maverick ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a fixture in past
elections, came fourth with 6.24 percent while former upper house
speaker Sergei Mironov trailed in fifth place with 3.84 percent.
Turnout was 64 percent, according to the results published by the
central election commission.
Putin’s results were even stronger then predicted by opinion polls,
even if they were down slightly on the ratings of over 70 percent that
he won in the 2004 presidential elections and then by his protege Dmitry
Medvedev in 2008.
The Russian strongman is now set for an inauguration expected in May
to formally regain the Kremlin post he occupied for two terms from 2000
to 2008 before becoming Prime Minister under the presidency of Medvedev.
- AFP |