Can Yulia Navalnaya become Vladimir Putin's number one opponent ?

"We must unite to strike Putin and his friends in one fell swoop.". In a few years, the widow of Alexeï Navalny has forged himself a solid reputation in the political and media sphere. To the point of becoming a credible candidate for the title of opponent number one. Vladimir Poutine.

And if Youlia Navalnaïa, the widow Alexeï Navalny died on February 16, 2024 and could become   in turn, opponent number one to Vladimir Putin ? This Wednesday, March 5, the 47-year-old woman calledé the Russians &agrav; express their opposition to the president on March 17, the last day of the presidential election which will see the re-election of the presidential candidate. here to be from the Kremlin, for lack of credible opposition. The operation is called “Noon against Putin”. In a video published on X (formerly Twitter), she urges Russians to "vote for any candidate, except Putin. You can spoil your ballot, you can write 'Navalny'; in large letters" she says, or "just come and stand in front of the polling station, then turn around and go home" face &agrav; this "masquerade" what is the presidential election.

"I will continue for our country, with you"

On February 19, Youlia Navalnaïa announcedé continue "the'&work" from her husband. "I will continue for our country, with you. And I call on you all à stand close to me (…) It's not a shame to scare, it's a shame to do nothing, it's a shame to let yourself be frightened" she said. Today, it is clear that she kept her word. She now appears determined to continue. take over from her late husband and continue the fight of his life. "We must unite to strike at one blow Putin, his friends, the thugs in epaulettes, the courtiers and the killers who want paralyze our country" she said.

A personality public with a strong character

If some may doubt the capacityé by Youlia Navalnaïa à To assume this role as number one opponent in the Kremlin, her commitment speaks for her. First of all, she became, like her husband, a real personality. public. She never stopped to fight for Alexeï Navalny, as when he escaped from prison, &agrav; death, poisoned in Siberia by a “Novichok" in 2020. "À Every moment when we were there, I said to myself, 'I have to get him out,' she explained. at the time, accusing doctors of dragging out the process until later. the death of her husband, or that the neurotoxic product is no longer detectable.

Small à When she was small, she knew how to gain depth, particularly at the media level. A few months later, the couple returned home. Moscow while knowing that Alexeï was going to be imprisoned. "Garçon, bring us some vodka, let's go homeà the house" she said. on the plane. Navalna has a sense of formula and never lets himself be impressed, far from it. In the process, after having beené separated from her husband At the airport, she was arrested. greeted by the crowd shouting "Ioulia, Ioulia!". A striking image which attests to its popularity. among opponents &agrav; Putin and his faculty &agrav; gather behind her, already. 

"Whether Navalnaïlike it or not, she becomes a political figure"

In Alexeï's own words Navalny, his wife, was much more severe than him. "When you're not in politics but you see the darkest things committed against your family then, of course, çit radicalizes you" he explained. Enough to envisage a future in politics ? Everything à fact according to political scientist Tatiana Stanovaïa: "whether Yulia Navalnaïa likes it or not, she becomes a political figure".

After the death of her husband, she met him. the foreign ministers of the European Union at the meeting Brussels, on February 19. Enough to win the adhesion and support of some of them. "EU ministers will send a strong message of support to freedom fighters in Russia and will honor the memory of Alexeï Navalny" wrote Josep Borell on X, vice-president of the European Commission and High Representative of the EU. Further proof of the ability by Yulia Navalnaïa à unite and assert yourself as a credible opponent number one against the opposition. Vladimir Putin.

Victim of a large disinformation campaign

It is also the attention with which her every move is closely scrutinized by the Kremlin that makes Navalna a number one opponent. ;eacute;ro a credible à Poutine. following the death of her husband, she became a prime target. Hundreds of degrading and misogynistic comments poured in. on social networks and a vast campaign of disinformation his regard has begun. A message attributed to &agrav; the opponent's mother-in-law came out, accusing the widow of not having “respect” a phase of mourning, preferring to parade on red carpets. Words she never said. The television channel Tsargrad TV, close to the Kremlin, then admitted the deception. But that's not all, the disinformation campaign goes much further. 

Some accuse him of infidelity. A photo of her in shorts, on the beach with a man was published. massively shared. In reality, the image is not recent. Edits are also made by replacing Navalny's face with that of Yevgeny Chichvarkin, a Russian millionaire. "Rare photo of Navalnaïa mourning the death of her husband with her closest friend" a user allows himself in a comment. A cascade of fake news in which the Donbass Insider blog takes part, run by a French woman who has become a spokesperson for Russia, as confirmed by the Antibot4Navalny collective to the editorial staff of TF1info . Voilaà why, it is possible to come across this kind of anti-Navalny propaganda in France. Some information is catapulted onto the site pravda-fr.com, a member of the Portal Kombat network, a network of disinformation and pro-Russian propaganda that we presented to you on February 13.