The presidential candidate of the centre-right New People party Vladislav Davankov published his election manifesto on Thursday, calling for “peace and negotiations on our own terms.”
Davankov is one of four candidates to have had his presidential run in the March 15–17 elections approved by the Central Election Commission, alongside incumbent president Vladimir Putin, the Communist Party’s Nikolai Kharitonov, and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia’s Leonid Slutsky.
During a press conference, Davankov said that there should be no prerequisites for sitting down for peace negotiations with Ukraine while also stressing that his goal was maintaining a “strong and independent Russia”.
In his manifesto Davankov also proposed ending censorship and “cancel culture”, condemning them for “mimicking the worst Soviet repression” and urged a clearer differentiation between “those who have a critical opinion” and those actively calling for the destruction of Russia.
Arguing for the abolishment of “repressive norms” that “persecute dissidents” and for the protection of press freedom by guaranteeing journalists immunity from criminal prosecution, Davankov’s manifesto appeared to confirm his status as the most liberal candidate on the ballot.
However, that’s somewhat at odds with his vocal past support for the war in Ukraine, for which he is currently under international sanctions, not to mention his key role in passing legislation that criminalised gender transition in Russia.
