Russia’s liberal Yabloko party has nominated its first leader and co-founder, Grigory Yavlinsky, to run for president in March next year.
Yabloko’s co-leader Sergei Mitrokhin said Yavlinsky could be the main opposition coalition candidate but added that it was open for discussion.
“We do not wish to impose our candidate, we wish to offer discussion on all candidates at a primary election to which we invite all democratic parties and organizations,” Mitrokhin told a news conference on Thursday.
He praised Yavlinsky as a “consistent democrat” who “never toadied” to authorities.
According to last week’s opinion polls, Yabloko is unlikely to make it into the State Duma at the parliamentary elections this Sunday.