WNU Editor: It is all about legitimacy. By openly interfering on how this election is to be run, the Kremlin has positioned itself that it needs 50% of the eligible electorate to vote for Putin in order for him to claim legitimacy. If Putin wins the election with 60% of the vote .... but only 60% of eligible voters went out to vote .... the argument can (and will be be made) that if you can get only get over a third of eligible voters voting for you .... and in a fixed election .... your mandate and your legitimacy to rule is then on very shaky grounds. My prediction .... on election day Putin's numbers in the cities will be low, but his vote in the countryside will be massive and it will push him over the 50% mark, but barely. But if the countryside stays home .... he will be in trouble.
