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Russia: mop electoral fraud? Putin's party is reproached - and yet loses a region

2021-09-20T09:27:07.912Z


Vladimir Putin's party triumphs in the parliamentary elections in Russia. But popular support seems to be waning. There could be several reasons for this.


Vladimir Putin's party triumphs in the parliamentary elections in Russia.

But popular support seems to be waning.

There could be several reasons for this.

Moscow - In the parliamentary elections in Russia in 2021, the Kremlin Party United Russia is heading for a victory.

After counting almost 55 percent of the ballots, President Vladimir Putin's power base came to 46.6 percent, as the election commission announced on Monday night.

According to the results so far - in the new State Duma - the lower house to be elected by the people - (450 MPs) at least four parties will be represented.

The second strongest force are the communists with over 21 percent.

They are followed by the right-wing populists LDPR of the ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky (around 8 percent) and Just Russia with 7.6 percent.

This quartet of parties was represented in the Duma before and is largely loyal to the system.

The opposition around the imprisoned Kremlin opponent Alexej Navalny *, on the other hand, spoke of electoral fraud that no one should accept.

Russia election: Putin party continues to set the tone - support is allegedly dwindling

The election commission stated that the turnout in the parliamentary elections in Russia was 45 percent. Around 110 million people were called to vote in Russia and abroad. For comparison: in the 2017 federal election, voter turnout was determined to be 76.2 percent.

Head of state Vladimir Putin * was not present on the electoral floor because of corona cases in his environment, but was allegedly celebrated by supporters in many places with shouts of "Putin, Putin, Putin". However, approval for the Kremlin leader's party seems to be waning: United Russia has lost almost seven percent compared to the 2016 election. In the eastern region of Yakutia, the majority has even been lost. There is probably a specific reason for this: devastating forest fires * have been raging in the republic in eastern Siberia for months. There, around 35 percent of the people voted for the communists. The party recorded an increase of almost 20 percentage points compared to the Duma election five years ago. United Russia ended up in second place with around 33 percent.

Because of the damage caused by the fires in Yakutia, people seem to be particularly dissatisfied with the authorities and the policies of United Russia.

According to the electoral commission, representatives of the Kremlin party, which supports President Putin's course, requested a review of the vote count.

Throughout Russia, however, United Russia was clearly ahead.

On Monday evening, after counting around two-thirds of the votes, the Kremlin Party came to more than 48 percent.

Russia election: Putin party on top - Navalny confidante speaks of "dirty election"

The day after the election, opposition leader Navalny's supporters took stock.

With a “smart vote” you yourself called for a protest election against United Russia in order to break the power monopoly of the party loyal to Putin.

The Navalny confidante Leonid Volkov said that this method had achieved success in individual regions.

However, he also raised allegations of electoral fraud: on Twitter, he let it be known: "These elections are dirtier than those of 2011 - much dirtier."

+

Russian parliamentary election: man throws a ballot into the ballot box.

© Valya Egorshin / Imago

The parliamentary and regional elections in Russia were overshadowed by allegations of fraud.

Independent election observers from the Golos organization list over 4,000 violations of alleged electoral fraud.

The group reported, for example, that the ballot boxes were crammed full of ballot papers in packs, or that voting was forced to take place among government employees.

There are also reports that voters have been given ballot papers with the cross for the Kremlin's United Russia party on them.

In another polling station, the ballpoint pen is said to have not worked - and only a pencil was close at hand.

Russia: parliamentary election fraud?

Video recordings cause a stir

With the help of surveillance cameras, some cases were documented - and shared on social media. A video shows a worker at a polling station in the city of Kemerovo in Siberia. She demonstratively stood in front of a ballot box. Behind her you can see a hand that, next to a Russian flag, is probably putting ballot papers in the ballot box again and again. The woman looks embarrassed into the room. Another shot shows a mop being held in front of a surveillance camera that is supposed to have a ballot box in view. The election commission in Russia had determined that the video broadcasts should also be shown on the Internet. In the Chelyabinsk region of the Urals, a woman reported, according to Golos, that she wanted to vote with her husband. According to the minutes, she had already voted.Presumably someone else voted for them.

Gennady Zyuganov, party leader of the communists, believes that "from an objective point of view" United Russia no longer has an absolute majority in Russia.

According to the Interfax agency, he once again warned of electoral fraud.

The party believes that no progress can be expected under the Kremlin party and Putin.

Will Vladimir Putin lose control of Russia's “near abroad”?

The victory of the pro-Western politician Maia Sandu in Moldova could prove exactly that *.

(

dpa / PF

)

* Merkur.de and FR.de are offers from IPPEN.MEDIA

List of rubric lists: © Valya Egorshin / Imago

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-09-20

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