Kadyrov Wins Fifth Term in Chechnya With Nearly 100% of Vote, Russia Says
Overview of Chechnya's Election Results and Political Context
Election Outcome and Official Results
Sept 21 (Reuters) - Ramzan Kadyrov, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been re-elected to a fifth term as leader of his southern, mainly Muslim region of Chechnya with almost 100% of the vote, Russia's electoral commission said on Monday.
National and Regional Elections in Russia
Russia concluded elections on Sunday to its national parliament, as well as for regional legislatures and governors, a test of the country's tightly controlled political system after 4-1/2 years of war in Ukraine. Kremlin-backed parties and candidates swept the board after most anti-war candidates were barred from running, results showed.
Kadyrov's Relationship with Putin and Chechnya's Stability
Kadyrov enjoys wide leeway from Putin to run Chechnya as his personal fiefdom in return for ensuring the stability of the region, where an Islamist, anti-Russian insurgency raged during the 1990s.
Electoral Commission Statement and International Criticism
Russia's Central Electoral Commission said Kadyrov took 99.85% of the vote in Chechnya, slightly up from 99.73% in 2021. International observers have in the past sharply criticised the conduct of elections in the small mountainous region.
Kadyrov's Response to Criticism and Role in Ukraine
Kadyrov, who rejects such criticism as Western-backed attempts to undermine his rule, regularly stresses his personal loyalty to Putin and has championed a hard line on Ukraine, where he says his Chechen forces have been fighting since 2022.
Background: Kadyrov's Rise and Human Rights Concerns
Family Legacy and Power Transition
His rise to power came after his own father, Akhmat, was killed in a 2004 bombing by insurgents who saw him as a turncoat.
Allegations of Human Rights Violations
Human rights organisations have long accused Kadyrov's government of widespread rights violations, including against journalists and homosexuals, something he denies.
(Reporting by Felix LightEditing by Gareth Jones)
