The ruling United Russia party led the legislative elections on Sunday, according to initial results announced a few minutes after the last polling stations closed, a ballot from which the anti-Kremlin opposition was essentially excluded.
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The formation of President Vladimir Putin won 38.75% of the vote, according to results, covering 9% of the polling stations, announced by the Election Commission.
It is ahead of the KPRF communists (25.06%).
Next come the nationalists of the LDPR (9.6%), a newcomer on the political scene - “New people” -, then the centrists of Just Russia (6.67%).
A poll carried out at the exit of the polling stations places United Russia at 45.2%, ahead of the Communists at 21%.
In the previous legislative elections in 2016, United Russia obtained 54.2% of the vote and the Communists 13.3%, the latter therefore seem to be on the way to improving their score.
The anti-Putin opposition was largely excluded from the ballot.
The supporters of the imprisoned opponent Alexeï Navalny in reaction called for votes for the candidates best placed to beat those of United Russia, often the Communists.
The last polling stations closed at 6 p.m. GMT in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave in Europe, ending a three-day electoral marathon.