Economics

Putin’s Election Grip Is So Tight Even His Nemesis Can Take Part

Ex-billionaire says 18 out of his 19 candidates cleared to run
Ruling United Russia party slated to win comfortable majority

Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
Photographer: Gianluca Colla/Bloomberg

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Henry Meyer and Irina Reznik

August 23, 2016 at 9:01 PM UTC

Updated on

August 24, 2016 at 7:42 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

The last time Vladimir Putin’s political party won national elections, ballot-stuffing allegations sparked the biggest protests of his rule.

Five years on, Putin appears to be so confident in his hold on power that even his most dogged adversary is welcome to challenge United Russia in next month’s parliamentary polls -- Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the London-based former oil billionaire who was charged with murder in absentia in December.