What's happened
In Russia's recent regional elections, Kremlin-approved candidates secured overwhelming victories amid claims of unfair practices. Independent observers reported numerous violations, while opposition candidates faced significant barriers, leading to a political landscape devoid of meaningful competition. The elections reflect the Kremlin's strategy to ensure loyalty among elected officials.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Moscow Times, the Kremlin's control over the elections was evident as all incumbent governors won re-election with an average of 80%. Independent election analyst Renat Fakiev noted that the reported votes for some candidates, like Radiy Khabirov, were likely exaggerated, suggesting actual support was much lower. In contrast, Sky News highlighted the barriers faced by opposition candidates, particularly Yabloko, which had only a fraction of its candidates allowed on the ballot due to bureaucratic hurdles. This reflects a broader strategy by the Kremlin to ensure loyalty among elected officials, as noted by various sources.
How we got here
The regional elections held from September 6-8, 2024, followed a presidential election in March where Vladimir Putin won a fifth term. The Kremlin has increasingly restricted opposition participation, aiming to maintain control over political narratives amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
More on these topics
-
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Covering an area of 17,125,200 square kilometres, it is the largest country in the world by area, spanning more than one-eighth of the Earth's in
-
United Russia is the ruling political party of Russia. United Russia is the largest party in Russia, and as of 2018 it holds 335 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. United Russia members have constituted the majority of State Duma since 2007.
-
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008.