Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first cousin once removed was elected on Sunday to head the People Against Corruption political party, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Roman Putin, son of President Putin’s cousin Igor, said he aimed to run with the party in the upcoming regional elections in September, and then in the elections to the State Duma, where the party has no faction. According to its website website, the party’s goal is to “fight with the consequences of and, above all, with the causes of corruption.”
“With the appointment of a successful entrepreneur, public and political figure, the party will receive a new impetus in the development of anti-corruption activities, and the implementation of various social projects,” Grigoriy Anisimov, the head of the party’s high council said in a statement on Sunday.
Roman Putin is a businessman and, like Vladimir Putin, a former employee of Russia’s FSB security service. He is also the director of a firm called Putin Consulting Ltd and the chairman of the board of the Russian Academic Foundation.
Last March, Roman Putin launched the People of Business party, a right-wing conservative project aimed at supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs.