Sergei Baburin, who leads the All People’s Union party, announced today that he has withdrawn his candidacy from the presidential elections in the Russian Federation. On a Telegram channel run by Evgeniy Minchenko, head of communications for Minchenko Consulting, Baburin’s move was noted as placing him among the second-tier candidates in the race.
Minchenko highlighted Baburin’s long political career, noting that Baburin has served multiple terms as a member of parliament, was elected twice from a single-mandate district, twice held the position of deputy speaker in the State Duma, and has previously run for president. These credentials, according to Minchenko, elevate Baburin’s profile within the field of contenders.
“With that background, the other remaining contenders appear less prominent. At this stage, the betting seems to be on four principal candidates,” the political analyst remarked on the Telegram channel. He added that the current four candidates span the full political spectrum.
According to Minchenko, the LDPR, New People, the Communist Party, along with the incumbent president Vladimir Putin, collectively cover about 90 percent of the political landscape. He suggested there is limited justification for other candidates to continue pursuing bids in the election, a point echoed in the commentary shared on the same channel.
Earlier reports indicated that Baburin had submitted signatures to the Central Election Commission in order to register for the presidential race. Shortly thereafter, Baburin announced his withdrawal and urged Russians to rally behind President Putin in the forthcoming vote.
It is worth noting that Sergei Baburin, leader of the Union of All Peoples of Russia, publicly explained his decision to step back from the race. Asked why he withdrew, he replied that he admired Putin’s actions and decided to support him openly rather than privately. This stance marks a shift from an independent candidacy toward visible backing of the current president, as stated in the Telegram channel communications.