CEC, law-enforcers believe it is possible to hold presidential election in new regions

Russian law-enforcement agencies, the Central Election Commission and the leaders of the new regions believe that it is possible to arrange voting in the next Russian presidential election in the territory of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, the CEC reported.

On December 11, it held consultations over the possibility of voting in the regions where martial law was in operation. The consultations involved CEC Deputy Chairman Nikolay Bulayev, CEC Secretary Natalia Budarina, representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry and the Federal Security Service and the leaders of the four regions.

“All the parties involved believe that it is possible to hold the presidential election in the territory of the above regions,” the CEC said.

Last week, the Federation Council upper house of the Russian parliament set the Russian presidential election for March 17, 2024. Voting will be held on March 15, 16 and 17, the CEC said.

A federal law states that the CEC makes the decision on the election in the territories under martial law (the LPR, the DPR and the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions) in coordination with the Russian Defense Ministry, the Federal Security Service and the heads of the four regions.*i*sb