Chechnya prepares for Kadyrov’s re-election as campaign falls unusually quiet

Chechnya’s election campaign looks unusually subdued even though the result appears largely predetermined. In the previous election, officials said Ramzan Kadyrov won more than 99% of the vote. The region has no independent election monitoring, while human rights defenders have documented forced voter participation for years.

Kadyrov’s public activity differs sharply from his 2021 campaign. He did not hold a single meeting of the republican government in July, and the number of events he attended fell compared with the previous year. Instead, he has inspected construction and road projects, opened bridges and attended sporting events. His portrait appeared widely in campaign materials in 2021, but is now rarely visible.

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He is trying to create the image of a typical governor who simply cares about the region’s development, rather than a huge personal political project, which is what Kadyrov’s regime really is. He wants to show that everything is normal and people are living ordinary lives.

Kadyrov remains present in public life, although less actively. North Caucasus analyst Harold Chambers said the Chechen leader had shifted attention toward economic and infrastructure issues. “He is trying to create the image of a typical governor who simply cares about the region’s development, rather than a huge personal political project, which is what Kadyrov’s regime really is,” Chambers said. “He wants to show that everything is normal and people are living ordinary lives.”

Chambers said this image was aimed not at Chechen society, but at Russian President Vladimir Putin. Political scientist Ruslan Aisin attributed the quieter campaign to the fact that the outcome had already been decided. “In Chechnya, as in many other Russian regions, the result is already known, the figures have already been written. The result will most likely approach 100%, of course in favor of United Russia,” he said.

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In Chechnya, as in many other Russian regions, the result is already known, the figures have already been written. The result will most likely approach 100%, of course in favor of United Russia.

Aisin also linked the absence of a noisy campaign to Kadyrov’s health. “In this situation, frequent public appearances by Kadyrov would more likely show weakness, both his own and that of his personal regime,” he said.

On Aug. 11, Chechnya’s election commission completed registration of the candidates for regional leader. Besides Kadyrov, the ballot will include Khalid Nakaev, secretary of the regional branch of Russia’s Communist Party, and Ismail Denilkhanov, chairman of the republic’s Public Chamber, who was nominated by A Just Russia. Nakaev is running for the second time after finishing last in 2021 with 0.12% of the vote. The other formally opposition parties have also remained almost entirely passive, limiting themselves largely to general statements.

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In this situation, frequent public appearances by Kadyrov would more likely show weakness, both his own and that of his personal regime.