In Memoriam: Alexei Navalny (1976 - 2024)

Reflecting on Alexei Navalny's political journey, this text recognizes his substantial impact on Russian elections - for both the past and probably the future. The obituary emphasizes his commitment to democracy, strategic efforts in electoral processes, and his role as a beacon of hope for the opposition during challenging times.

Navalny played a crucial part in enlightening Russian society about elections through his campaigns, emerging as a symbol of will and hope for the most thoughtful segment of the population. His legacy leaves an enduring mark on the landscape of Russian politics, which will not disappear with his murder.

The day United Russia received the name it deserved. State Duma elections 2011 and the following protests.

During the 2011 State Duma electoral campaign Navalny repeatedly stated that the most acceptable way to vote is to vote "for any party, against United Russia". Although Navalny does not recognize his authorship, this position has become widely known as the "Navalny option" for years.

On 5 December 2011, the day after the elections, Navalny spoke at a protest rally in Moscow. His aim was to express disagreement with the election results and accuse the authorities of large-scale fraud. Speaking to the crowd, Navalny called United Russia "a party of crooks, thieves and murderers." Subsequently, he and several hundred participants held an unauthorized march to the building of the Central Election Commission of Russia at Lubyanka, which led to his detention by police. The next day, the court sentenced him to 15 days of administrative arrest. The decision displeased the opposition and prominent lawyers. Amnesty International recognized Navalny as a prisoner of conscience.

Navalny was released from custody on 21 December 2011 at 2:35 AM. Despite the late hour, numerous journalists and supporters met him at the exit.

On 4 April 2013, Navalny first declared his intention to become President of Russia. He emphasized that his goal was to change life in the country so that citizens of Russia, which is rich in natural resources, would live "normally like in European countries".

Moscow mayoral elections 2013

In the sad chronicle of Alexei Navalny's political journey, the chapter about his 2013 run for Moscow mayor is imbued with both fervor and controversy. Nominated as a candidate of the PARNAS party, Navalny took the helm of the campaign under the leadership of Urals politician Leonid Volkov.

After submitting documents to the Moscow City Election Commission on 10 July, Navalny overcame bureaucratic hurdles, collected 115 signatures from municipal deputies and on 17 July, his name was among the six candidates registered to run in the Moscow mayoral election, marking the start of an active election campaign. However, on 18 July, the course of events changed dramatically when he was sentenced to five years in prison on embezzlement and fraud charges brought in 2012. Despite this setback, Navalny, determined to have equal access to the electorate, initially withdrew his candidacy from the election but then re-entered the race following a request for his release on bail.

Navalny's campaign showed unprecedented fundraising success, raising an impressive 103.4 million rubles (about $3.09 million). A team of 20,000 volunteers ran a massive campaign, distributing leaflets, hanging banners and organizing numerous rallies throughout the city. Despite limited television coverage and no billboards, the campaign, described in The New Yorker magazine as a "miracle," achieved significant success. In an interview for the Echo of Moscow radio station on 23 August, Navalny outlined a program of change, promising to strengthen local self-government, resolve conflicts over new construction through referendums, and revise the city's migration policy. He supported as well the right to hold LGBTQ+ parades as part of citizens' constitutional rights.

As the campaign developed, Navalny's results grew, challenging Sobyanin's position. Sobyanin was predicted to win, but Navalny's final result of 27% exceeded all expectations. Sobyanin won with 51% of the vote with a turnout of 32%.

Although many experts recognized the overall integrity of the election, Navalny claimed that the results had been obtained through fraud, particularly via absentee (home) voting, which tipped the scales in Sobyanin's favor.

In the early morning of 9 September after the e-day, Navalny published on his blog:

- Data from his own exit polls, according to which Sobyanin had gained 46 percent, paving the way for a second round of voting between Sobyanin and Navalny.

- Data from the independent Observer Alliance, according to which Sobyanin won 49.8 percent of the vote - a result insufficient to win the first round.

He issued an ultimatum, declaring his intention to take people to the streets if the Moscow Electoral Commission refused to recognize the results as fraudulent. The willingness to challenge the election results in court was explicitly stated and subsequently realized, but on the 20th of September Moscow City court refused to satisfy his claims.

When confronted with questionable election results, Navalny's determination to expose irregularities emphasized his commitment to transparent and fair democratic processes. His ultimatum reflected an unwavering belief in the power of public dissent as a means of redressing perceived injustices, setting the stage for the legal process that unfolded in the wake of the disputed election.

Navalny's bold stand against alleged electoral manipulation became a defining moment in his ongoing fight for transparency and accountability in politics. The episode was another chapter in his relentless pursuit of a democratic system free of corruption and left an indelible mark on the landscape of Russian opposition politics.

Presidential campaign 2018

In the face of numerous challenges and obstacles, Alexei Navalny dedicated himself fervently to his presidential campaign in 2018. Despite spending a significant portion of his 60-day campaign period in prison and facing legal setbacks, Navalny's determination remained unwavering.

His efforts extended beyond traditional political avenues, as he organized mass protests against corruption and advocated for free elections. Notably, he faced a second verdict in the Kirovles case in February 2017, which temporarily removed him from the list of potential candidates.

In the fall of 2017, Navalny embarked on a nationwide tour, meeting with potential voters in 27 cities across Russia. However, his campaign was marred by incidents such as his administrative arrest in March 2017 and a disturbing attack in April 2017 when an unknown assailant splashed a caustic liquid on his face, causing a chemical burn and partial loss of vision in his right eye.

On December 25, 2017, the Central Election Commission denied Alexei Navalny's registration as a presidential candidate due to an unexpunged conviction in the Kirovles case. Navalny responded by urging a boycott of the upcoming presidential elections. He argued that the exclusion of opposition candidates, coupled with what he perceived as a lack of genuine political pluralism, rendered the electoral process devoid of legitimacy.

Despite these setbacks, Navalny's influence remained significant. On December 28, the influential newspaper Vedomosti named him Politician of the Year, highlighting his comprehensive election campaign in 2017. They underscored Navalny's role in shaping the electoral agenda and noted his ability to impose his narrative on other candidates, including Vladimir Putin. The denial of Navalny's candidacy began to be perceived as a confirmation of his perceived threat to the Kremlin.

Following the refusal to register, Navalny embarked on a campaign to boycott the elections. This initiative involved coordinating observer activities at polling stations and organizing mass protests, including the "Voter Strike" on January 28, 2018, and the "He is not our tsar" demonstration on May 5, 2018. Navalny's commitment to his cause led to administrative arrests as he persisted in challenging the perceived lack of political openness and fairness in the electoral process.

Smart Voting

Smart Voting is a strategy put forward by Alexei Navalny's team to reduce the results of the ruling party United Russia and administrative candidates in municipal, regional and federal elections.

The strategy was presented in autumn 2018 and was aimed at the protest electorate. It was used in several campaigns in 2019-2020, in the 2021 State Duma elections, in the Unified Voting Day 2022 and 2023. In majoritarian elections, the voter is asked to support the opposition candidate with the best chance of winning in a particular district against United Russia. In party-list elections, it is recommended to choose the party potentially capable of overcoming the electoral barrier, and in gubernatorial elections - any candidate other than supported by the Kremlin. The platform's creators suggest recognizing the recommended candidates using the Smart Voting website, a Telegram bot or Navalny's mobile app.

Initially aimed at preventing candidates from the United Russia party from winning municipal elections in St. Petersburg and the Moscow City Duma on September 8, 2019, Navalny explained the strategy as follows: "The parties themselves cannot agree and field a single candidate against United Russia. But we can. We are different, but we share one policy - we are against the monopoly of the United Russia. Everything else is mathematics. If we all vote smartly for the strongest candidates, they will win, and the United Russia candidate will lose."

According to Vladimir Milov, the idea stemmed from the successful experience of protest voting in the 2018 regional elections, where authorities lost gubernatorial campaigns despite seemingly eliminating strong opponents and leaving only "technical" candidates on the ballot. Political analyst Grigory Golosov characterizes Smart Voting as an approach to strategic voting designed for authoritarian elections under the relative majority system. This initiative marks a significant chapter in Navalny's dedication to fostering change through civic engagement and strategic electoral tactics.

On the eve of the elections to the 8th State Duma, Roskomnadzor added the Smart Voting website to the banned list. Following this, Yandex removed links to the Smart Voting website from search results, Google and Apple removed the Navalny app from the Russian online shops Google Play and App Store, and Telegram blocked the Smart Voting bot for the duration of the election.

Navalny's electoral testament: The “Noon Against Putin” action

As we acknowledge the conclusion of Alexei Navalny's impactful political journey, we remember a man who fearlessly challenged the norms of Russian politics. In paying our respects to his commitment to democracy and bold initiatives, Navalny's legacy remains etched in the history of Russian political activism.

From his early steps in politics to his pivotal role in shaping the opposition movement, Navalny stood as a symbol of hope in the face of challenges. Navigating the complexities of Russian politics with strategic brilliance, he asserted his beliefs in fair elections and the power of collective action.

In bidding farewell to Alexei Navalny, we recognize a figure whose influence extends far beyond his time, leaving an unmistakable mark on the trajectory of Russian politics.

His last political testament was the "Noon Against Putin" action, announced by the politician from his imprisonment in a Mordovian colony 2 weeks before the murder.

REM will keep closely following the developments and realization of this action in practice.