Beglov ran for a full term as an Independent, despite prior affiliations to the United Russia party, and faced a potential highly competitive election due to his soaring unpopularity and the city's overall heightened oppositional sentiments.[3] Several notable candidates were absent from the ballot as Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg members Oleg Kapitonov (LDPR) and Boris Vishnevsky (Yabloko) failed to qualify, while State Duma member Vladimir Bortko (CPRF) unexpectedly withdrew on August 31. Beglov won the September 2019 election with 64.43% against two opponents, Legislative Assembly members Nadezhda Tikhonova of A Just Russia and Mikhail Amosov of Civic Platform, both of whom received around 16%.[4]
Among the most notable events during Beglov's first term was his conflict with businessman and Wagner Group mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
In autumn 2022 Prigozhin claimed that he invested 2 billion rubles into Beglov's 2019 campaign, while the governor sabotaged Wagner's headquarters opening and awarded city contracts to his friends and cronies.[5] Governor Beglov in return replied that the conflict with Prigozhin had been caused by the businessman's desire to control food catering, garbage disposal and subway construction in the city.[6] The conflict wound down with Prigozhin's and his closest allies' demise in a plane crash in August 2023. Political experts claimed that Prigozhin's death virtually eliminated major opposition to Beglov and cleared his way to a second term in office.[7]
In April 2024 during a meeting with PresidentVladimir Putin Governor Beglov announced his intention to run for a second term and received Putin's endorsement.[8]
Candidates
In Saint Petersburg candidates for Governor can be nominated by registered political parties or by self-nomination. Candidate for Governor of Saint Petersburg should be a Russian citizen and at least 30 years old. Candidates for Governor should not have a foreign citizenship or residence permit. Each candidate in order to be registered is required to collect at least 10% of signatures of members and heads of municipalities.[9] In addition, self-nominated candidates should collect 2% of signatures of Saint Petersburg residents. Also gubernatorial candidates present 3 candidacies to the Federation Council and election winner later appoints one of the presented candidates.