Putin wins presidential election in Russia while further protests planned

Vladimir Putin has returned as president of Russia after winning in the first round of elections on Sunday (March 4) . Official sources say he had around 65 percent of the vote, with 99 percent of votes counted. Putin needed more than 50 percent to win outright, and the result means he will not face a run off against another candidate in a second round of voting. The victory was expected. Putin had organized a post election rally before the vote and, as expected, he announced his victory at the event. Appearing at the rally outside the Kremlin, alongside outgoing president and political ally, Dmitry Medvedev, an emotional Vladimir Putin said, “We have won, glory to Russia!” He described the result as a victory for Russian sovereignty and independence against outside interference, a favorite topic for Putin. Protests, planned before the election, are expected today ( Monday 5 ) and a number of complaints over the vote have already been made, including from Putin's nearest rival, Gennady Zyuganov, who gained around 17 percent of the vote. Vladimir Putin, formerly head of the Russian secret service KGB, previously held two consecutive presidential terms, from 1999 to 2008. He stepped aside for his protege Dmitry Medvedev and has served as prime minister for the last four years. The move was widely seen as side-stepping the constitution. Many commentators believe that Putin continued to wield power through President Medvedev and a return to the presidency was widely predicted. Medvedev brought in constitutional reforms extending presidential terms to a maximum of six years, meaning Putin could potentially hold the office for the next 12 years. Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com