Why the Kremlin fears even the ‘managed opposition’ in Russia
Summary
The Kremlin has tightened control ahead of Russia's Duma elections to prevent any sign of public protest. Opposition parties, including the antiwar Yabloko and some candidates from the Communist Party, have faced bans, arrests, and restrictions to ensure the election shows strong support for President Putin and the ruling United Russia party.Key Facts
- The Kremlin increased election controls called “ballot sterilisation” to reduce risks of protest votes.
- Opposition candidates, including some from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), were arrested or barred from running.
- Yabloko, the only openly antiwar registered party, was initially allowed to run but then banned by the Supreme Court.
- Yabloko’s antiwar stance sparked a sudden rise in public interest and online searches before its ban.
- The CPRF is the second-largest party and is more critical of the government locally but not openly antiwar.
- Some CPRF candidates were removed from the ballot, and the party faced campaign restrictions.
- The Kremlin uses administrative pressure, electronic voting, extended voting periods, and no independent observers to control election outcomes.
- The government aims to present election results that show national unity and strong support for President Putin and United Russia.
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