There had been no doubt that Putin would win in his fourth electoral contest; he faced seven minor candidates and his most prominent foe was blocked from the ballot.
With ballots from 80 percent of Russia’s precincts counted by early Monday, Putin had amassed 76 percent of the vote. Observers and individual voters reported widespread violations including ballot-box stuffing and forced voting, but the claims are unlikely to dilute the power of Russia’s longest-serving leader since Josef Stalin.
Though his victory was all but a foregone conclusion, this re-election was actually a mandate on how secure his hold is on power. Putin is expected to continue with little change in terms of trying to rebuild Russia as a global power while limiting economic reforms at home.
It would be Putin's second term as president. In accordance with the legislations in place since 2012, a president can be elected with a two consecutive term limitation. It is expected that the fight will now begin in earnest among the Kremlin elite to choose his successor.
