Ksenia Sobchak, a local celebrity TV host called ‘Russia’s Paris Hilton’ shook up the political environment on October 18 by announcing her presidential bid. It is worth to note that Ksenia Sobchak’s father was a mentor to Vladimir Putin.
Russia is waiting for the presidential election’s start, this time, the most unexpected candidate will be Ksenia Sobchak, a 35-year-old socialite and a Russian analogue of Paris Hilton. On Wednesday, Ms Sobchak announced her desire to run for the presidency during the interview for Dozhd TV. This blonde’s move would likely boost public interest in the race but could further fragment the nation’s beleaguered opposition.
The journalist and actress Ksenia Sobchak will need to raise more than $17 million for her campaign, according to The Bell news outlet. The 35-year-old blonde said she didn’t make the needed calculation and has no idea who will be sponsors of her presidential campaign.
“But I’m already talking to a large number of businessmen who are willing to provide initial financing,”
Sobchak told the opposition Dozhd TV news channel where she works.
The political programme of the candidate will be the changes. As Ksenia noted in her YouTube video, Russia had grown tired of its political elite and needed a change.
Ksenia Sobchak, facts and figures
Ms Sobchak was born in the family of Anatoly Sobchak, the reformist St Petersburg mayor in the early 1990s, he was a mentor of the current Russian president Putin. Ksenia became known as a socialite and a fashion icon before she launched her successful career on Russia TV and radio. Her current position is an editor in chief for magazine L’Officiel in Russia.
Sharp-tongued and witty, Ms Sobchak often has been critical of the Russian government since 2012, now she insists that Russia needs new political leaders. Ksenia joined anti-Kremlin protests in Moscow in 2011 and 2012 but has largely avoided criticising Vladimir Putin, who once worked as her father’s deputy.
Vladimir Putin has not yet said whether he will seek re-election on March 18 but he is widely expected to run. Ms Sobchak told Dozhd TV she had warned Mr Putin that she planned to join the race while interviewing him for a documentary about her father.
“I had an impression he didn’t like it,”
Ksenia said.
