Russian communists lose stalwart presidential candidate

0 Comments | AFP, December, 2003

MOSCOW (AFP) — Russian communists nominated a little-known candidate to run against President Vladimir Putin in March elections after party stalwart and two-time presidential hopeful Gennady Zyuganov threw in the towel.

Zyuganov, who came in second in 1996 and 2000, is the latest to pull out of the race. Ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who has run in every presidential race since 1991 said last week he would not stand against Putin, and both wings of the liberals have decided not to put up candidates.

The rather colorless Zyuganov has presided over the post-Soviet communists since 1993, but the once all-dominant party was thrashed in December 7 parliamentary elections, getting less than 13 percent of the vote in a race the opposition painted as unfair and a...