普京获绝对多数选票即将开始新总统任期

The voters of Russia have handed Vladimir Putin a resounding and expected victory. With nearly all the ballots counted from almost all the precincts, Putin is poised to began his new six-year term as Russia's leader with more than 76 percent of the votes. Putin has been in a position of leadership in Russia for 18 years.

Opinion polls showed he had far more support than any of his rivals.

Putin addressed thousands on the Manezhnaya Square near the Kremlin late Sunday. He hailed those who voted for him as a "big national team," adding that "we are bound for success."

Asked if he would seek the presidency again when next eligible to run, in 2030, the 65-year-old Russian leader snapped, "It's ridiculous. Do you think I will sit here until I turn 100?"

Putin's closest rival was opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was disqualified from running in the election when he was convicted for embezzlement in December. Given a five-year suspended sentence, Navalny said the conviction was politically motivated, to keep him out of the race.

Navalny led a boycott effort, while Russian election organizers hoped for a high voter turnout to legitimize an election long seen to have been a foregone conclusion.

Putin has been in power as either president or prime minister since 1999. He has switched back and forth between the two roles to circumvent a Russian law banning him from serving more than two consecutive terms as president.

俄罗斯选民投票支持普京连任总统，普京获得了人们预期的压倒多数的胜利。几乎所有选区的选票基本清点，普京获得了76%的选票，看来将开始他俄罗斯总统的又一个任期。

民意调查显示，普京获得了比任何其他与之竞争的候选人都高很多的支持率。

普京星期天晚上在克里姆林宫附近的马涅什对数以千计的支持者发表讲话，称所有投票给他的选民同属一个“强大的国家队”，“注定要胜利”。

有人问普京在2030年的大选中他是否还会竞选，65岁的普京说：“荒谬。你难道认为我能坐在这里活到100岁?”

普京最有力的竞争对手是反对派领袖纳瓦尔尼。但是纳瓦尔尼已经被取消了参加竞选的资格。他去年12月被判犯有贪污罪，判处5年徒刑，缓期执行。纳瓦尔尼说，这次审判是出于政治动机，目的是阻止他参加竞选。

纳瓦尔尼是抵制选举运动的领导人。俄罗斯选举机构希望能出现高投票率，以便让这场人们认为结果已经预先确定的选举具有合法地位。

普京自从1999年以来要么担任总统、要么担任总理。他轮流担任这两个职务，避开了俄罗斯有关只能担任两届总统的法律限制。