The anti-'Putin war' candidate who turned out to be too popular

Boris Nadezhdin is a unique and independent-minded Russian. In a time dominated by steel and rubble, he stands as a voice of reason and moderation. However, his presidential aspirations have faced a setback as he was disqualified from the race due to irregularities in the signatures supporting his candidacy. Despite being the only candidate to criticize the war, Nadezhdin has been subjected to criticism and insults from propagandists on Russian national channels.

While he pledged to end the mobilization, bring Russian soldiers back home, and release political prisoners, Nadezhdin did not advocate for returning the territories stolen from Ukraine since 2014. This stance led some opposition members and Ukrainians to view him as a Kremlin puppet. Nonetheless, during the brief period when his candidacy seemed possible, he gained unexpected popular support, with long lines forming outside his campaign headquarters in cities like Krasnodar, Saint Petersburg, Saratov, Voronezh, and Ufa. The authorities, however, quickly put an end to his surge in popularity.

The Russian people will not have the opportunity to vote for Nadezhdin as the Central Election Commission (CEC) has banned him from participating in the upcoming March elections. Undeterred, Nadezhdin has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court, emphasizing that participating in the presidential elections is the most significant political decision of his life and that he will not resign.

Nadezhdin, a 60-year-old physicist, businessman, lawyer, and politician, is known for his opposition to the invasion of Ukraine and his advocacy for negotiations. He also supports cooperation with Western countries and aims to lead Russia out of authoritarianism and militarization. Citing abortion restrictions and the ban on the LGBT movement as “complete nonsense” reminiscent of the Middle Ages, Nadezhdin has undergone a journey from Putinism to disenchantment. While he played a role in Putin’s 2012 campaign, he openly opposed the controversial constitutional amendments in 2020 that solidified the president’s grip on power until 2036.

Nadezhdin has shown solidarity with the wives and mothers of mobilized Russian soldiers, demonstrating his commitment to engaging with important social issues. In an ecosystem where dissent is often suppressed, his involvement in this movement is becoming increasingly significant.

Dubbed the “pacifist candidate,” Nadezhdin surprised many analysts with his scathing criticism of the war. While his disqualification from the electoral race may not be surprising, the CEC’s findings of flaws and erroneous data in the signatures collected by Nadezhdin and his allies, including hints of forged signatures, have sparked controversy. Nadezhdin, however, maintains the integrity of his campaign, claiming to have collected over 200,000 signatures transparently and honestly, which were witnessed by people around the world.