Russia's Parliamentary Election Lacks Genuine Opposition
With all participating parties supporting President Putin's policies, the election is seen as a move to legitimize the war in Ukraine and consolidate Kremlin control.
Russia's parliamentary elections, spanning three days from Friday through Sunday, feature the ruling United Russia party alongside nine other parties that uniformly support President Vladimir Putin's policies. Notably, the only political party that openly opposed the war in Ukraine has been disqualified from the ballot, ensuring a political landscape devoid of significant dissent.
The election, the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, aims to demonstrate public backing for the war and legitimize the Kremlin's actions. This occurs amidst increasing Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure and mounting economic pressures, which have begun to make the war's impact more tangible for Russian citizens.
Voters are electing members to the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, as well as governors in 11 regions and members of regional legislatures in 39 regions. Balloting over three days is intended to boost turnout among the 111 million eligible voters, with electronic voting also permitted. The elections include areas Russia has illegally annexed in Ukraine.
United Russia, which held more than two-thirds of the Duma seats after the 2021 election, is expected to maintain its dominant position. The party's electoral list includes prominent figures such as Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. The party's platform reiterates support for the ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
Despite public fatigue and economic challenges, the state-controlled media and tight election oversight are poised to ensure United Russia's victory. Mayor Sobyanin has, however, publicly expressed reservations about calls for broad conscription and placing the entire economy on a war footing, suggesting a pragmatic approach to managing the conflict's domestic impact.
Other parties participating in the election, such as the Communist Party and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), have historically supported the Kremlin's key policies. The Communist Party, led by Gennady Zyuganov, has consistently aligned with Putin's directives. The LDPR, an ultranationalist party previously led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, also supports the war, with candidates including former arms dealer Viktor Bout.
The A Just Russia party, a social-democratic group, and the New People Party, which positions itself as representing younger voters and technocrats, also participate. The New People Party, founded shortly before the 2021 election, has aligned with Putin's policies after initially presenting itself as an opposition force.
The liberal Yabloko Party, the sole registered party opposing the war, was removed from the ballot in August by the Supreme Court, which cited its stance as a violation of Russia's territorial integrity. The party still has candidates competing in single-ballot races.
Other smaller parties contesting seats include Communists of Russia, the Party of Pensioners, the Green Party, the Party of Direct Democracy, and the Motherland Party, the latter led by Alexei Zhuravlev, who was instrumental in Yabloko's removal from the ballot.