Russia’s ruling United Russia party has retained its dominant position in the country’s parliament following a three-day election that was marked by tight government control and the exclusion of much of the political opposition.
With more than 95% of polling stations counted, United Russia had secured 57.83% of the party-list vote, according to Russia’s Central Election Commission. The party was also leading in 208 of the 225 single-member constituencies, putting it on course to hold about 355 of the 450 seats in the State Duma.
The result would give United Russia a constitutional majority and represent an increase from the 49.8% it received in the previous parliamentary election in 2021.
The election was the first parliamentary vote since President Vladimir Putin launched Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Voting was also held in Ukrainian territories that Moscow claims to have annexed, a move Ukraine has condemned as illegal.
Opposition Faced Major Restrictions
The election took place amid a broader crackdown on political dissent. Russia’s Supreme Court previously barred Yabloko, the country’s only registered party openly opposing the war in Ukraine, from the nationwide party-list ballot. Some of its candidates were still permitted to run in individual constituencies.
Other opposition figures have been imprisoned, barred from running or forced to leave Russia. Several parties that secured seats have generally supported Kremlin initiatives, including on major issues related to the war.
Election critics also raised concerns about the use of electronic voting and the absence of observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said Russia’s decision not to invite its observers breached the country’s commitments to the organization.
Election Held Amid Ukraine War
The parliamentary vote took place as Russia and Ukraine continued long-range attacks against each other. Russian authorities reported large-scale Ukrainian drone attacks during the election period, including strikes affecting Moscow and other parts of the country.
Turnout was reported at just over 59%, which Russia’s Central Election Commission described as the highest for a parliamentary election in more than a decade. Final official results were expected later in the week.
The election result strengthens United Russia’s control of the State Duma and ensures that the Kremlin will continue to operate with a large parliamentary majority as Russia faces the economic and political consequences of the war in Ukraine.
Swifteradio.com
