Kremlin Solves Putin's Age Problem

The Kremlin has decided that one of the main criteria for candidates seeking to replace Russian President Vladimir Putin is that they not be under the age of 50, according to a report published Monday.

Meduza, an independent Russian media outlet, said in its report the reason for this decision is so that the 70-year-old Putin doesn't appear too old in comparison to his opponents.

Russia's next presidential election is scheduled to be held in March 2024. Polling shows Putin remains immensely popular among the Russian public, and he seems almost certain to win reelection even though a recent independent survey showed domestic support for his war in Ukraine has begun to slip.

As a sign of the Kremlin's confidence regarding a Putin victory, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told The New York Times earlier this month that the Russian leader "will be re-elected next year with more than 90 percent of the vote."

However, Meduza's report indicates there is concern about how a younger opponent may be perceived by Russian voters. Meduza said sources close to the Kremlin said the political bloc of the Administration of the President (AP) of the Russian Federation doesn't want candidates on the ballot who may make Russians think Putin is "not the person who came to power with a firm hand."

A survey released in May from the Russian Field—a nonpartisan Moscow-based research company—gives some credence to the Kremlin's alleged concern. The poll found age was the third most popular response from Russian respondents when asked what they don't like about Putin.

Meduza also reported that the Kremlin expects two candidates will challenge Putin—Gennady Zyuganov of the Communist Part of the Russian Federation and Leonid Slutsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR). Zyuganov is 79 years old, while Slutsky is 55.

The New People party is also expected to have a candidate in the race, while the Fair Russia party has already announced it will not nominate anyone and instead support Putin.

Newsweek reached out to Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs via email for comment.

In its report, Meduza said that the Kremlin aims to have Putin take 80 percent of the vote and for the election to have a turnout of 70 percent. In order for the incumbent to garner such a large winning total, the Kremlin doesn't want a "dark horse" candidate like businessman Pavel Grudinin, who challenged Putin in 2018, Meduza added.

The media outlet wrote Grudinin "unexpectedly" gained popularity among some Russian voters in 2018, which resulted in the AP having to "conduct a full-fledged black PR campaign against him."