Ramzan Kadyrov Nominated for Another Term as Chechnya's Leader

Ramzan Kadyrov has been nominated for another term as head of Russia's Chechen Republic after delegates at the 42nd conference of the regional branch of the United Russia party unanimously supported his candidacy.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Пресс-служба Президента Российской Федерации, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Ramzan Kadyrov, August 2024

The announcement was made by Chechen Parliament Speaker Magomed Daudov, who said the decision reflected "the high level of public trust" in the incumbent regional leader. In his congratulatory remarks, Daudov referred to Kadyrov as a "dear brother" and a "national leader," describing his nomination as a natural decision.

Kadyrov Says He Is Running 'Out of Necessity'

Commenting on the nomination, Kadyrov said he was entering the election "out of necessity."

"To be honest, I am not happy that I am running in the election. If it were up to me, I would choose another candidate because this is a tremendous responsibility, and I know how difficult this task is. A great deal of work has gone into developing the republic, and today we have preserved a team that works like a well-made clock. Today, you could say that I am running in the election out of necessity," Kadyrov said.

Election Scheduled for September

The election for the head of Chechnya is scheduled to take place on Russia's nationwide voting day on September 20, 2026.

Kadyrov has effectively led Chechnya since 2007. In February of that year, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed him acting president of the republic. The Chechen parliament confirmed his appointment in March, and Kadyrov officially took office on April 5, 2007.

In 2011, he was again confirmed by the regional parliament, this time under the title of head of the Chechen Republic. He was subsequently elected in direct elections in 2016 and 2021, receiving 97.94 percent and 99.7 percent of the vote respectively, according to official results.