Irish Examiner View: Putin’s sham victory snubs democracy

Putin, surrounded by hand-picked well-wishers and supporters, looked like the isolated man he is after receiving an 87.28% winning electoral margin

Vladimir Putin won the presidential election in Russia last weekend. Picture: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP

Despite an 87.28% winning electoral margin in the Russian election over the weekend, Vladimir Putin strangely looked like a lonely, haunted, figure when delivering his "victory" speech after what was widely denigrated as a rigged poll.

In contrast to victors in regular democratic contests we are used to witnessing, where there will be all the trappings of victory – champagne, balloons, streamers, and people losing the run of themselves – Putin, surrounded by hand-picked well-wishers and supporters, looked like the isolated man he is.