Yulia Navalnaïa calls on Russians to oppose Putin in the presidential election

Yulia Navalnaïa calledé Wednesday the Russians &agrav; express their opposition à Vladimir Putin on March 17, the third and final day of the presidential election which should see the current master of the Kremlin reborn. elected in the absence of real opposition candidates.

“You can vote for any candidate except Putin, you can +spoil+ your ballot, you can write +Navalny+ in big letters,” urged the exiled widow of opponent Alexeï Navalny, whose the funeral last week in Moscow was attended by several thousand people.

“We have to go to the polling station on the same day and at the same time, March 17 at noon”, she asked in a video, describing the next election as a “masquerade”.

Youlia Navalnaïa, like her two children and some of the allies and collaborators of her husband, lives abroad to escape the repression of the authorities.

A portrait of Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny, who died in prison, held during a march for the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, February 24, 2024 in Paris © AFP – Ludovic MARIN

“We can come and see and see that we are numerous and strong” against “war, corruption and lawlessness”, she again argued facing the camera, looking straight and determined.

Her husband, Alexeï Navalny, launched this idea at the beginning of February in one of his last speeches before his death, believing from his prison that “this could be a powerful demonstration of the state of mind of the country”.

According to Yulia Navalnaïa, who promised to continue her husband's fight, “it is a very simple and safe action. It cannot be prohibited” by the authorities , she said.

Because classic demonstrations against power are severely repressed in Russia.

– “Hope” –

Arrival of the first participants for the farewell ceremony in a church in the Marino district (southeast of Moscow) for Alexei Navalny, March 1, 2024 © AFP – Alexander NEMENOV

“Next to you, there are probably many people who are against Putin and against the war. And if we come at the same time, our voice against Putin will resonate much louder,” he said. -she launched again.

Youlia Navalnaïa castigated “the cult of the past, of war, of missiles and despicable murders” defended, according to her, by the Kremlin, facing the “love, support and faith in the future” that she intends to relay.

Imprisoned in early 2021, Alexeï Navalny, a trained lawyer, tirelessly denounced the repression and corruption of Russian elites and criticized, from his cell, the Kremlin's assault on Ukraine.

For its part, the Kremlin assures that Russians are largely “united” behind Vladimir Putin who must be re-elected without opposition during the vote scheduled for March 15 to 17.

< p>If he wins, the current Russian president will remain in power at least until 2030, three decades after his arrival in the Kremlin to replace Boris Yeltsin, then weakened by illness.

On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov assured that the authorities will organize in a few days “the type of elections that our people want”.

“We will no longer tolerate criticism of our democracy”, he said again.

Photos of opponent Alexeï Navalny are displayed near flowers placed at the monument for the victims of political repression, February 17, 2024 in Moscow © AFP – Alexander NEMENOV

Youlia Navalnaïa also thanked on Wednesday the thousands of sympathizers who paid tribute to her husband last Friday, during the funeral organized in the south-east of Moscow, then during the weekend, marching in numbers in front of his tomb, buried under flowers.

On the day of his funeral, the Kremlin had nevertheless warned against any “unauthorized” demonstration, which had not stopped the crowd from chanting “No to war!” or even “We will not forgive!”.

“These images are imbued not only with sorrow and sadness, but also with hope”, underlined Ms. Navalnaïa, saluting the “most courageous, most honest” people in our country.

“There are many of us and as long as we are together, nothing is over”, said she said.

All rights of reproduction and representation reserved. © (2024) Agence France-Presse