Lawmakers in Russia have officially scheduled the country's 2024 presidential election for March 17, bringing Vladimir Putin one step closer to a potential fifth term in office. The Federation Council, Russia's upper house of parliament, unanimously approved the decree setting the election date, marking the beginning of the election campaign, according to Valentina Matviyenko, the chamber's speaker.

While Putin, 71, has not formally announced his candidacy, it is widely anticipated that he will do so now that the election date is confirmed. Despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and past challenges, Putin maintains high approval ratings reported by independent pollsters.

The opposition, led by imprisoned leader Alexei Navalny, is urging supporters to vote for anyone but Putin. Navalny's team has launched a campaign with billboards in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities, featuring messages like "Russia" and "Happy New Year," along with links to their anti-Putin campaign website titled "Russia without Putin."

As for potential candidates against Putin, two individuals, former lawmaker Boris Nadezhdin and journalist/lawyer Yekaterina Duntsova, have announced plans to run. However, meeting the stringent ballot access requirements, including gathering tens of thousands of signatures, could pose a challenge for them. A Just Russia party, with 27 seats in the State Duma, is willing to nominate Putin as its candidate.

The Central Election Commission plans to incorporate online voting in about 30 Russian regions and is considering a three-day voting period, a practice adopted during the pandemic. Critics argue that such measures, along with restrictions on monitoring, will limit the presence of independent observers.

Political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin predicts that the election will be more of a "ritual" than a competitive process, serving as a measure of regional loyalty and system functionality. Despite challenges, Putin's candidacy, possibly as an independent, is expected to dominate the electoral landscape.