Support The Moscow Times!

Communist Party Leader Zyuganov Says He’s Not Running for President (Yet)

Gennady Zyuganov / Kremlin Press Service

The longtime leader of Russia’s Communist Party denied that he’s running for president in 2018 — less than 24 hours after seemingly announcing his candidacy on state-run television.

Gennady Zyuganov said on the centennial anniversary of the October Revolution on Tuesday that “every organization” within his party had backed his candidacy for the March 18 election.  

But on Wednesday, Zyuganov said his Channel One statement shouldn’t be interpreted as a formal announcement. 

“We’re in discussions now, and the final decision will be made later,” he told the radio station Govorit Moskva.

The Communist Party is scheduled to meet on Dec. 23 to formally decide on the candidate. Zyuganov added the resulting decision would include candidates for prime minister, deputy prime ministers and key cabinet members.

If — or when — the 73-year-old politician makes up his mind, it would be Zyuganov’s fifth run for the Russian presidency, his first dating back to 1996. The Communist Party has about 160,000 members, 40 percent of whom are under 35. 

President Vladimir Putin is widely expected to run for his fourth term and win, although he has not officially confirmed his bid. Zyuganov is likely to compete for second place with the Liberal Democratic Party's Vladimir Zhirinovsky.

Also running are socialite and former reality-TV host Ksenia Sobchak, singer-songwriter and journalist Yekaterina Gordon, as well as a slew of businesspeople and TV personalities.

Alexei Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition leader, continues to run a nationwide campaign despite being barred due to a criminal conviction which he claims is politically motivated.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss 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