Putin's Chechnya Strongman Tightens Grip as Future Stability in Question

At a polling station in Chechnya’s capital, Grozny, children in traditional costume danced to music as voters walked past to cast their ballots. More a celebration than an exercise in democracy as Chechen voters for the first time elected strongman Ramzan Kadyrov. Kadyrov was directly elected for the first time September 18 by a whopping 98 percent of voters, with 95 percent of the republic voting, according to official figures, tightening his grip on power in the north Caucasus...

© La Voix de l'Amérique - mercredi 28 septembre 2016