Russian parliamentary elections: amid allegations of fraud, first official results give Putin’s party the winner

The Kremlin Party, United Russia, won the elections to the Duma or Chamber of Deputies ahead of the Communists, which would improve its results, according to the first official data announced by the Central Election Commission (CEC). The figures are known after three voting days marred by irregularities. According to independent election observer Golos, more than 3,850 electoral complaints were registered, a postcard repeated under the autocracy of Vladimir Putin, who seeks to revalidate his majority in the Duma (lower house).

According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), United Russia adds 43.31% of the vote after counting 21% of the vote. The Communists are said to be the second most voted party with nearly 23%. For the time being it is not known whether United Russia is renewing the constitutional majority – over 300 of 450 seats – in the lower house of the Russian parliament.

In 2016, the ruling party won over 54.20% of the vote, allowing it to add 334 seats and pass laws without needing to agree with the systemic opposition in parliament. .

Half of the seats are distributed by party lists, but the other half by majority constituencies, where pro-government candidates have an advantage.

According to these official data, five parties would enter the Lower House against four in the previous legislature: the ruling party and the Communists, the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDR) of ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovski (9.30%); the newly created party Gente Nueva (7.59%); and the Social Democrats of Fair Russia (6.86%).

A few minutes before the closing of schools in the European part of the country, the Communists denounced fraud in various regions of the country, from the European part to Siberia and the Far East, and demanded the criminal prosecution of the “counterfeiters”.

The CEC recognized only a dozen cases of ballot filling and announced the cancellation of more than 8,500 votes, sparking outrage from the opposition.

Independent observers and the extra-parliamentary opposition led by the incarcerated Alexéi Navalny denounced numerous cases of fraud in electronic voting – 2.6 million voters – and at home, as well as forced votes by military employees and public. It is because the three days of polling (a measure put in place by the pandemic) gave more time to realize the alleged traps, against the backdrop of a wave of repression against the opposition.

The absence of international observers also raises doubts about the results., according to the opposition. Despite the presence of some international observers, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has decided not to send a mission, while Russia’s vast geographic expanse and long voting hours complicate the mechanisms of ‘observation.

Indeed, from the EU, although they avoided talking about non-recognition of the results, they have already warned that the legislative elections are taking place in a “climate of intimidation”, according to what the spokesperson for Business foreigners of the 27, Peter, told Europa Press Stano, when the European Parliament has already asked that, indeed, they are not recognized.

The United States has also spoken out, criticizing “restrictions” imposed by Moscow that “prevented” from observing the electoral process “independently”.

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