Page 9 - aruba-today-20171216

A9
WORLD NEWS Saturday 16 december 2017
Putin looks for quick win, but voter apathy worries Kremlin

By V. ISACHENKOV ing across all social groups,
Associated Press which is linked to popular
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s support for his foreign pol-
presidential election cam- icy achievements,” said
paign formally lasts only Lev Gudkov, the head of
three months, and Presi- the Levada-Center opinion
dent Vladimir Putin wants survey agency, a leading
to make it as short as pos- independent pollster. “The
sible. propaganda has shaped
With Putin’s approval rat- his image as the national
ing topping 80 percent, leader who has restored
there is little doubt about Russia’s great power sta-
the outcome of the March tus.” Gudkov said polls
18 vote. show Putin’s popularity is
Instead, voter apathy rep- strongest in rural areas and
resents the main challenge small towns where most
for his strategists, who want people rely on state-run TV
his showing to be as strong for news. His broad support
as ever to demonstrate is rooted in a lack of real
that public support for Pu- political competition, he
tin hasn’t waned 18 years said. “The political field has
after his first election. been fully cleared,” Gud-
In an apparent bid to drum Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a wreath-laying ceremony in Moscow, Russia. Russian kov said. “Putin completely
up interest and make a lawmakers on Friday, Dec, 15 set the presidential election for March 18, a move that formally sets dominates the information
bland race as short as pos- in motion campaigning for a race that Putin is all but certain to win. space.” Veterans of past
sible to keep voters mobi- (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) elections — Communist
lized, the 65-year-old presi- stered his support, which Instead, he took a soft ter a two-year campaign chief Gennady Zyuganov,
dent waited until last week has remained high despite stance, encouraging Rus- that secured Russia’s posi- ultranationalist leader
to declare his intent to run a plunge in living standards sia’s athletes to compete tion as a key power broker Vladimir Zhirinovsky and
again. under a combined blow under the Olympic flag. His in the Middle East also plays liberal Grigory Yavlinsky —
It’s not clear yet how Pu- of a drop in oil prices and announcement of a partial well into his campaign. all declared their intention
tin will focus his campaign, Western sanctions. troop pullout from Syria af- “Putin has a broad back- to run.q
which was formally opened “Even very moderate peo-
Friday by the upper house ple never really reconciled
of parliament. themselves after the end
Ahead of the 2012 vote, of the Soviet Union with
he ran a highly polarizing Crimea being lost,” said
campaign amid a wave Moscow Carnegie Center
of massive demonstrations director Dmitri Trenin. “They
in Moscow against his rule. always thought it was un-
He denounced middle- fair. And Putin had the guts
class protesters as spoiled ... to give it back to Russia
stooges of the West and without spilling a drop of
relied heavily on support blood.” Some pundits ex-
from blue-collar workers pected Putin to use Rus-
and state employees. sia’s ban from the Winter
Now, in the absence of Olympics in South Korea
major protests, Putin can to further fuel anti-Western
afford to be more benign. sentiments by announcing
The 2014 annexation of a boycott of the games,
Crimea from Ukraine bol- and thus mobilize his base.
Dutch police: Suspect in

2 stabbings knew victim

THE HAGUE, Netherlands the suspect knew at least
(AP) — Police say that a one of the victims, but
37-year-old man suspect- would not elaborate as it is
ed of involvement in two still under investigation.
deadly stabbings in the Van Kleef says the suspect
southern Dutch border city is in hospital recovering
of Maastricht knew at least from light head injuries and
one of the victims. has not been questioned.
The suspect was arrested The victims’ identities were
late Thursday in a mosque not immediately released.
in Maastricht shortly after a Van Kleef would not con-
man and a woman were firm local media reports
killed and two other peo- that the victims were of Syr-
ple were injured. ian descent.
Police spokesman Jack Police have ruled out ter-
van Kleef said Friday that rorism as a motive.q