Gennady Zyuganov 2000 presidential campaign

After losing the 1996 presidential election (which he had originally been the strong frontrunner for)[2] to Boris Yeltsin, Zyuganov declared that the 1996 election nevertheless had demonstrated that a two-party political system was emerging in Russia and that the political might of the Communist-led campaign alliance could no longer be ignored by the Yeltsin administration.[3]

By 1999, Zyuganov had emerged as the evident frontrunner in every poll for the first round of the pending 2000 presidential election.[4] However, polls also indicated that he would be unable to win an outright majority in the first round (which would be necessary for him to avoid a runoff), and that he was almost certain to lose against any prospective non-Communist opponent in a runoff.[4]

At this same time, Zyuganov and Yavlinsky were seen as the only two prospective candidates that were supported by a strong constituency and a national party.[4]

However, by the autumn of 1999 then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had overtaken Zyuganov as leading candidate in the polls.[5]

Zyuganov (averaging 22% in polls) ultimately proved to be the only strong challenger to Putin.[1]

Zyuguanov's Communist Party conducted an orthodox campaign, relying heavily on grassroots door-to-door campaigning and a network of supportive Communist-aligned newspapers to spread its message.[6] Zyuganov made little use of television advertising. The limited televised advertisements his campaign did run generally focused on his platform.[6]

Zyuganov ultimately outperformed polls, which had largely predicted that he would receive roughly 20% of the vote, and instead received 29% with 22 million votes.[7] Nonetheless, he failed to force Putin into a runoff.[6]

Zyuganov agreed with Putin’s handling of the Second Chechen War.[1]

Zyuganov advocated a significantly expanded social safety net.[1]

His chief economist, Sergey Glazyev, promised that Russia 10% annual growth under Zyuganov's economic policies.[1]

His platform proposed the creation of a "regulated market", in which the state would hold a controlling share in certain key sectors of the economy, such as the energy, transport and military industries.[8]

In an adaption of trickle-down economics, Zyuganov proposed cutting taxes on domestic industry in half. He also proposed cuts to energy, transport and communications tariffs.[1]

Zyuganov advocated instating a state monopoly on alcohol and tobacco.[1] He promised to deliver higher minimum wages. His proposed minimum wage increases would equal $105 per month for doctors and teachers and $35 for others, a significant increase from the existing minimum wage, which equaled just $14.[1]

• Gennady Zyuganov presidential campaign, 1996
• Gennady Zyuganov presidential campaign, 2008
• Gennady Zyuganov presidential campaign, 2012