Putin: tears in his eyes?
Were those really tears running down Vladimir Putin’s cheeks? The returning Russian president has long nurtured a he-man image, but as he addressed thousands of supporters outside the Kremlin walls on Sunday night his voice was, unusually, cracking. Continue reading »
Putin claims victory despite fraud protests
Vladimir Putin claimed victory in Russia’s presidential election. With exit polls showing the prime minister winning 59 per cent or the vote – or more, the prime minister addressed crowds outside the Kremlin walls and declared: “I promised you we would win and we have won. Glory to Russia.”
Opposition candidates, including the veteran Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, demanded the investigation of alleged frauds in Sunday’s vote. Following the recent anti-government protests, much will depend on whether Putin’s victory is seen as legitimate. Protest leaders, who have organised unprecedented demonstrations in favour of transparent elections for three months, have pledged to stage a rally on Monday. Continue reading »
Russia was on Sunday preparing for a third presidential term for Vladimir Putin, with voters forecast to give him a majority in national elections despite recent protests against him, according to the FT.
The first exit poll shows Mr Putin securing 59.3 per cent of the vote, Gennady Zyuganov (Communist) 18.2 per cent, Mikhail Prokhorov 9.6 per cent, and Vladimir Zhirinovsky 7.4 per cent. Continue reading »
Week ahead: Mar 5-11
All eyes will be on the Russian elections, with results due later on Sunday. Can Vladimir Putin’s rivals force a second round of voting? On Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency meet for five days to discuss nuclear issues in Iran, Syria and North Korea. A two-day Africa Trade and Export Conference begins in Cape Town on Thursday, before Slovakia holds a general election on Saturday. Continue reading »
India: how strong is the rally?
A 2012 market rally in India faces three big tests of its resilience, starting this week.
Investor confidence in Asia’s third largest economy has built up on assumptions of a run of good news in coming days: a strong showing for the ruling Congress party in five state elections when results come out on March 6, relaxation of monetary policy on March 15 and a purposeful national budget on March 16. Continue reading »
Russia votes
It’s an election in which few doubt the outcome – but that doesn’t stop Russians casting their vote (see pictures below). According to Reuters, early signs were that turnout would be high. Officials said more than 12 per cent of voters had cast ballots by 10 am Moscow time, compared with 8.9 per cent at the 2008 election won by Dmitry Medvedev.
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