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WORLD NEWS Friday 8 december 2017

Putin undecided whether to run as an independent or not

By NATALIYA VASILYEV
Associated Press
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian
President Vladimir Putin has
not decided yet whether
to run for office next year
as an independent can-
didate or secure support
from the ruling party, his
spokesman said Thursday.
The 65-year old Russian
leader, who has ruled the
country since 2000, ended
months of speculation by
announcing Wednesday
that he would seek his
fourth term in office in the
March 18 presidential vote.
Putin’s 80-percent approv-
al ratings make his victory
all but certain.
Putin spokesman Dmitry
Peskov told reporters Thurs- Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to employees of Rostec Corporation during an awarding ceremony at the Novo-Ogaryovo
day that the president has state residence outside in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017. The spokesman for Vladimir Putin says the Russian president has
yet to make up his mind not decided yet whether to run for office next year as an independent candidate or secure support from the ruling party.
whether he would run as (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik via AP)
an independent or on Unit- ible adversary, anti-corrup- Navalny has been convict- politician has mounted a luckless candidates from
ed Russia’s platform. tion crusader Alexei Nav- ed on two separate sets of grassroots campaign and past contests and one no-
United Russia won last lany, declared his intention charges largely viewed as held rallies across Russia to table newcomer — TV host
year’s parliamentary elec- to run last December but a politically motivated. pressure the Kremlin to al- Ksenia Sobchak, 36, the
tion, but is nowhere near as criminal conviction bars his Despite the ban, Russia’s low him to run. Putin’s po- daughter of Putin’s former
popular as Putin. The Rus- from running for president. most popular opposition tential rivals include several boss.q
sian president may want
to avoid association with
the party, which has been Catalans rally, feeling abandoned by the EU
tainted with corruption
scandals.
Asked if there is anyone BRUSSELS (AP) — Tens of Singing and chanting slo- demn Spanish police vio- members fled to Brussels
to challenge Putin, Peskov thousands of people from gans, protesters marched lence during the Oct. 1 poll after the referendum fear-
told reporters Thursday that Catalonia rallied Thursday around the EU’s main in- on independence. ing arrest. Several of their
Putin is “the strongest can- in Brussels, decrying what stitutions, some draped in Spain says unilateral moves colleagues were jailed in
didate.” they see as the European flags or carrying signs with by Catalan officials to de- Spain.
“The level of the popular Union’s failure to help them “Shame on You” stamped clare independence vio- “Have you ever seen some-
support that he enjoys is following a failed indepen- over an EU flag. A few Bel- late the Spanish constitu- where in the world such a
unavailable for other can- dence referendum in the gian Flemish separatists tion. demonstration that would
didates,” Peskov said. Spanish region. and Scottish flags could be Former Catalan leader support criminals?” Puigde-
The Kremlin has been wor- Police said around 45,000 seen in the crowd. Carles Puigdemont, among mont asked the crowd.
ried about growing voter people took to the streets Many Catalans are pro- those up for re-election on “What happens in Catalo-
apathy, and the uncer- of the Belgian capital for European, yet they feel let Dec. 21, used the gather- nia is an opportunity for Eu-
tainty over Putin’s plans a rally that comes amid down by the bloc’s failure ing Thursday as part of his rope.
seemed intended to en- campaigning for a region- to mediate their conflict political campaign. Let’s wait for Dec. 21 and
courage public interest in al election in Catalonia on with the Spanish govern- He and four former Cata- then we will start talking on
the race. Putin’s most vis- Dec. 21. ment in Madrid or to con- lan government cabinet the 22nd,” he said.q