Putin moves a step closer to a fifth term as president after Russia sets 2024 election date

By DASHA LITVINOVA
Associated Press

Lawmaker’s in Russia have set March 17 as the date for the country’s 2024 presidential election. A scheduling decree unanimously approved by the upper house of the Russian parliament Thursday moves Vladimir Putin closer to a fifth term in office. Putin hasn’t yet announced his intention to run again but is widely expected to do soon. Under constitutional reforms he orchestrated, he is eligible to seek two more six-year terms after his current one expires next year, potentially allowing him to remain in power until 2036. Prominent critics who could challenge him on the ballot are either in jail or living abroad, and most independent media have been banned.