Kremlin organizes pre‑election contest. 400,000 people already registered

The Kremlin has agreed to set up a pre-election competition for citizens, providing Russians the opportunity to win apartments and trips. The Russian government intends to raffle off 30 housing vouchers, each valuing 5 million rubles, to those who participate. Although the contest has been categorically stated to be unrelated to the election, its official announcement and implementation noticeably coincide with pre-election activities.

As part of the imminent presidential election expected in 2024, a nationwide contest called "This is in our family" will be launched, according to Russian opposition portal Meduza. In addition to housing opportunities, there will also be 300 trips offered throughout the country and other various prizes, all promised by Putin's administration.

The "Russia - land of opportunities" platform, which is instrumental in recruitment for Putin's presidential administration's "Leaders of Russia" staffing competition, is behind the organization of this event. Its establishment is said to be a way to "create a positive atmosphere during difficult campaign times," which, as disclosed by Meduza, are challenging due to increasing prices and exchange rates related to imposed sanctions. Despite being intertwined with the presidential campaign period, the contest is officially described as having no association with the election.

Meduza reported that the government has tasked its media to cover news about the competition extensively. Contest-related news is currently being published by Kremlin-controlled press, and surveys focusing on the "sociological portraits of members of the Russian family" and the "interests of daughters and sons of Russia" are being carried out by the organizers. Between October 2023 and January 2024, contest participants will be required to complete tasks online. The semifinals are scheduled to be hosted in federal district capitals, with the final taking place in Moscow. The contest decision is expected to be announced after the elections in the spring.

In the first phase, which will be conducted remotely, participants, among other activities, will be required to prepare a dish based on the recipe provided by singer Sergei Zhukov, or sing a song or craft a virtual chronicle of their family. A separate contest will be held for families residing in the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia.

Already, over 400,000 individuals, including 70,000 families, have registered for the competition, according to the organizers. Anticipations are high that this figure could rise to half a million before the registration deadline, as predicted by Meduza.