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The Political Journey of Russia's Alexei Navalny

Described by The Wall Street Journal as the “the man Vladimir Putin fears most” Alexei Anatolievich Navalny is currently Russia’s most popular opposition leader. Navalny has been attacked, jailed and detained several times. He is a trained lawyer, anti-corruption activists, and blogger.

His blogging has highlighted the cronyism of the Russian oligarch’s and has vehemently criticized Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime. After getting recovered from a nerve agent attack. Navalny returned from Germany and was again arrested by the Russian authorities. Later, he was sentenced to prison for two and a half years which ignited a nationwide protest.

Source: Reuters

Navalny got into politics in 2000 after joining the liberal Yabloko party, a Russian liberal and generally pro-Western political party. During the period he voiced for ideals of liberalism. However, he was expelled from the party for nationalist activities and couldn’t bring any political mileage from that time.

After failing to gain popular support, he joined the right-wing movement and declared himself as nationalist. It was the time when Russia was fueled by oligarchs, and politicians who claimed themselves as patriots. In 2007, he founded a political movement called The People, which are allied with two nationalist groups, the Movement Against Illegal Immigration and Great Russia.

Beyond the movement led by patriots, he found himself as the champion of anti-corruption activism. In 2011 he created the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). Navalny would buy small shares from state-owned companies to access the documents through shareholder rights. Later, the foundation would investigate and document high profiles involvement in government contracts and publish it on his blog.

Navalny also ran for mayor of Moscow in 2013 but came in second place. In 2016 he announced his intention to run for president to challenge Putin in 2018 but was ruled ineligible due to a criminal conviction that was widely seen as politically motivated. Despite everything, Navalny has been campaigning across Russia and has opened many offices for his political party Future of Russia.

With social inequalities growing, and Navalny continuously igniting the protests through his anti-corruption activism. There is an increase in the number of Russians getting disappointed with Putin’s regime. Navalny has predominantly challenged Putin’s popular patriotic stance. The whole of Russia is on the streets in support of Navalny, making him the most prominent opponent of Putin. As a symbol of opposition to Russia’s corrupt political regime. He now poses the greatest threat to Putin.

Unlike other opposition leaders, Navalny has weapons of his own. With his humor and unrivalled ability has mocked Russia’s corrupt neo-feudal rulers in a way that ordinary Russian can understand. No one has ever got under Putin’s skin the way Navalny does which is a rarity in Russian politics. Navalny’s latest video Putin's palace. History of the world's largest bribe has garnered more than 110 million views in which his team have investigated on the luxuriant life of the Russian President.

After decades, Russia is facing an alarming and completely new situation. With the ongoing demonstrations, prosecutions, police brutality, and mass arbitrary arrests. Kremlin is unable to channel public discontent in a controllable direction. The elite Russian police are overwhelmed. Russian human rights activists have described the situation as undemocratic.

The Year 2021 is going to be the most challenging year for Putin. Demonstrators are seen criticizing Putin, they chanted “Russia without Putin” “Let him go” and “Freedom” many of them were in their 20s. They have united against Putin, social inequality, corruption, and human rights violations. With the September 2021 state Duma elections months away, supporters of Putin have months to coordinate their response.

Over Navalny’s protests, the Russian officials have criticized the west of their attempts to interfere in Moscow’s domestic affairs. And has expelled diplomats from Sweden, Poland and Germany, alleging they participated in the illegal protests. The EU-Russia relations are at low-point following the expulsion of the diplomats. So far, the officials of Putin have not referred by his name instead calling him a blogger or “the Berlin patient,”.

As Putin cemented his power through constitutional changes, Kremlin will likely work to marginalize its already fractured rivals which are in lack of unity and strong leadership. As an opposition leader Navalny has to build concrete policy measures to challenge Putin. He and his supporters have to keep their energy high and build momentum for their major political stroke. They have a long struggle ahead. Although, one should not expect immediate change or success.

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