Support The Moscow Times!

Sobyanin Gives Putin His Resignation

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has handed in his resignation to President Vladimir Putin, forcing an election in the fall in which he likely will be returned to the job. Sobyanin was appointed mayor by then-President Dmitry Medvedev in 2010 at a time when it was an unelected post. The Russian government has since restored the direct election of mayors.

The move to force an early election — Sobyanin's term ran until 2015 — is seen as harming his opposition challengers, including billionaire Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and anti-corruption crusader Alexei Navalny, who may struggle to get their campaigns ready on short notice.

Sergei Udaltsov
MT

Opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov also announced Wednesday that he would fight to become the next mayor, despite being under house arrest in connection with accusations of having plotted mass unrest.

A message that appeared on the Left Front leader's twitter account said he "intends to enter his candidacy for early elections for the Moscow mayor post." He also did not exclude the possibility that a single united candidate could be agreed on by opposition movements, RIA Novosti reported.

Udaltsov is accused of plotting mass unrest at a protest on Moscow's Bolotnaya Ploshchad on May 6, 2012 and has been under house arrest since February of this year.

Other opponents could include Yabloko leader Sergei Mitrokhin and Green Alliance — People's Party chairman Oleg Mitvol, among others.

Former mayor Yury Luzhkov may also enter the election race, Vedomosti reported.

Sergei Sobyanin was appointed mayor for a term of five years in October 2010, but announced Tuesday that he would step down and seek re-election in fall. The election is set to take place on Sept. 8.

The last time direct mayoral elections were held in the capital was 2003, when Luzhkov, ensconced since 1992, won the ballot.


Material from The Moscow Times has been included in this report.

Related articles:

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more