Communist Party member Anatoly Lokot will step down from his position as the mayor of Novosibirsk, announced Governor Andrey Travnikov on December 28. Lokot was the last mayor elected by the residents of Novosibirsk.
Mayor Anatoly Lokot of Novosibirsk will be resigning before completing his term. Governor Andrey Travnikov stated that Lokot has taken leave with subsequent dismissal. The interim mayor will be Oleg Klemeshov, a member of the United Russia party.
In 2014, Lokot won the mayoral elections, defeating a candidate from the United Russia party. He was reelected for a second term in 2019.
In February 2023, direct mayoral elections were abolished in Novosibirsk, along with many other cities in Russia. Local activists sought a meeting with Mayor Lokot to discuss the cancellation of elections, but he ignored their appeal, even after a court order.