Vladimir Putin and his 25-year journey leading Russia

On March 27, 25 years ago, Vladimir Putin became President of Russia for the first time after a dramatic election. In just a few months, he went from being an unlikely figure to surpassing veteran politicians to win.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Press Office of the President of Russia

Putin and his opponents in 2000

Ella Pamfilova, one of the presidential candidates that year, recalled that Mr. Putin always showed courtesy, composure and respect for his opponents. She emphasized that he did not like flattery and appreciated those who dared to defend their own views.

Initially, 33 people applied to run for the election, but only 11 candidates passed the screening process. Among them, in addition to Mr. Putin and Ms. Pamfilova, were names such as Mr. Gennady Zyuganov (Communist Party), Mr. Vladimir Zhirinovsky (Liberal Democratic Party) and Mr. Grigory Yavlinsky (Yabloko).

When the election took place on March 26, 2000, Mr. Putin had been acting president since the end of the previous year, after Mr. Boris Yeltsin announced his resignation on December 31, 1999.

Rapid rise

In just six months, Putin’s approval rating shot up from zero to nearly 50%. When Yeltsin appointed him prime minister in August 1999, Putin was not a household name. But his handling of the security crisis in Dagestan helped him gain a strong following.

By November 1999, Putin’s approval rating had reached 42 percent, more than double that of his nearest rival. But he himself paid little attention to opinion polls. “If you work for ratings, they will drop immediately,” he once said.

Responding to the crisis

When Putin came to power, Russia was struggling with severe economic difficulties following the 1998 financial crisis. The average income was less than $50 a month, inflation was 36.5 percent, and unemployment was at 13 percent. In addition, the second Chechen war was raging, making the situation even more tense.

Although he could have declared a state of emergency to quash his opponents, Mr Putin refused to do so. “There is no objective reason to do so,” he declared, demonstrating a firm and self-controlled stance in a time of turmoil.

On the international stage, Russia is also struggling with a huge foreign debt of up to 60% of GDP, mainly due to financial obligations inherited from the Soviet Union. By 2005, this figure had dropped to 18%, marking an important turning point in Mr. Putin's economic policy.

No power vacuum

Immediately after taking office as acting president, Mr Putin convened an emergency cabinet meeting, scheduled to discuss Chechnya and meet with party leaders. He declared: "There will not be a single minute of power vacuum in the country".

To prove it, just a few hours after New Year's Eve 2000, Mr. Putin was present in Chechnya, personally handing out awards to soldiers. This action sent a clear message that he would lead the country through real actions, not empty words.

Stay away from populism

During the election campaign, Mr. Putin rejected the usual campaign tricks. He did not participate in televised debates because he believed they were just a show of empty promises. "I cannot look millions of people in the eye and say things that I know are impossible to do," he asserted.

Putin’s campaign staff were instructed not to paint him in a flattering light. Even Ella Pamfilova, despite her harsh criticism of him, was hired by Putin as a human rights adviser after his election.

A historic victory

Mr. Putin admitted that he never imagined he would run for president. But once he entered, he aimed to win in the first round to save on election costs. And as expected, when 50% of the votes were counted in the early morning of March 27, 2000, his victory was almost certain.

The final result: 52.9% of the votes went to Mr. Putin, while Mr. Zyuganov came in second. The voter turnout was 68.7%, reflecting the great interest of the people in the election.

From a little-known politician, Mr. Putin has become the leader of Russia and has maintained his position for the past 25 years. And looking back at that journey, it can be seen that his rise was not only the result of luck, but also thanks to carefully calculated strategic decisions.

Ngoc Anh (according to TASS, Izvestia)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ong-vladimir-putin-va-hanh-trinh-25-nam-lanh-dao-nuoc-nga-post340316.html