In the Russian city of Berezovsky, the mayor surprisingly lost in the recent local elections to a candidate who happens to be his personal driver’s wife, Yulia Maslakova.
Yevgeny Pustov, the current mayor, was attempting for the fourth time to retain his position, but he faced competition from Yulia, a member of Vladimir Putin’s political party, United Russia. No one expected Yulia to win, and she herself mentioned that she had only run to fulfill the formalities against Pustov.
Despite her surprising victory, Yulia said she was doing everything in her power to avoid taking the mayoral oath. Unlike many other cities, Berezovsky does not elect its mayor directly through public vote; rather, the election is conducted by deputies nominated by various local and regional officials.
