Putin firms control with big win for Russia’s ruling party

20 September, 2016 | Uncategorized
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits a polling station during a parliamentary election in Moscow, Russia, September 18, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

MOSCOW – Vladimir Putin cemented his supremacy over Russia’s political system when his ruling United Russia party took three quarters of the seats in parliament in a weekend election, paving the way for him to run for a fourth term as president.

Opposition activists and European observers questioned how free and fair the vote had been, however, although there were no immediate signs the result might spark street protests of the kind which erupted after the last such election in 2011.

With most votes counted, United Russia, founded by Putin almost 16 years ago after he first became president, was on track on Monday to win 76 percent of the seats in Russia’s Duma, the lower house of parliament, up from just over half in 2011.

That would be its biggest ever majority. Putin’s spokesman called it “an impressive vote of confidence” in the Russian leader and dismissed critics who noted a sharp fall in turnout.

Around 4 million fewer Russians voted for United Russia compared to 2011, data from the Central Election Commission showed, while overall turnout fell to 48 percent from 60 percent, exposing growing apathy about a political system and elite which critics say tolerates no genuine opposition.

Liberal opposition parties failed to win a single seat. Dmitry Gudkov, the only liberal opposition politician to hold a seat before, said he had been beaten by a United Russia candidate whose chances he said had been lifted by poor turnout.

“The question now is…how to live with a one-party parliament,” Gudkov said.

European election monitors said the vote was marred by numerous procedural irregularities and restrictions on basic rights. Russian officials said there was no evidence of widespread fraud.

Near complete results showed especially low turnout in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where protests against Putin erupted after the last parliamentary election in 2011. Putin and his allies have since tightened protest laws and made life difficult for civil society groups which take money from outside Russia, branding them “foreign agents.”

 

– Reuters