Russia has begun a three day parliamentary election amid tight political controls, with voters choosing members of the 450 seat State Duma alongside governors and regional lawmakers.
The election, taking place from September 18 to 20, is the first parliamentary vote since Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party is expected to maintain its dominant position in the lower house.
The liberal Yabloko party, which has opposed Russia’s war in Ukraine, was removed from the nationwide party ballot after a Supreme Court ruling in August. Some Yabloko candidates, however, are still contesting individual constituency seats...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Other major parties on the ballot, including the Communist Party, Liberal Democratic Party, A Just Russia and New People, support Putin’s policies to varying degrees, with the major parliamentary parties backing the continuation of Russia’s war effort.
The election also includes contests for governors in 11 regions and regional legislatures in 39 regions. Nearly 200 candidates who have served in the war in Ukraine are reportedly among those seeking parliamentary seats.
The Kremlin has presented the election as an opportunity for citizens to demonstrate their support for the country and its military, while critics and opposition figures have questioned the competitiveness of the process following the exclusion of anti war forces.
