(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in Russia believe the upcoming legislative election is vulnerable to fraudulent actions, according to a poll by Yury Levada Analytical Center. 39 per cent of respondents think the ballot’s results will likely be manipulated by local and regional election commissions.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many people in Russia believe the upcoming legislative election is vulnerable to fraudulent actions, according to a poll by Yury Levada Analytical Center. 39 per cent of respondents think the ballot’s results will likely be manipulated by local and regional election commissions.
An additional 33 per cent of respondents believe the democratic process will feature vote-rigging and bribing of electors by the government, while 30 per cent think these same fraudulent practices could be promoted by the opposition. 26 per cent of respondents are worried about omissions in the electoral roll, changes and removal of candidates by the government, and United Russia (YR)—a party that openly supports Russian president Vladimir Putin—having an advantage during the campaign.
Putin was elected to a second term as president in March 2004 with 71.31 per cent of all cast ballots. In 2005, Putin presented his plan to change the allocation of seats in the State Duma, electing all 450 lawmakers on party lists, allowing electronic votes, establishing a single election date for the entire country and raising state subsidies for parties represented in the lower house to $21.5 million U.S.
The proposal also lifts the threshold to earn seats in the State Duma from five per cent to seven per cent. In the 2003 election, only four political parties—the pro-Kremlin United Russia (YR), the Communist Party (KPRF), the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) and the Motherland – National Patriotic Union (MDRT)—received more than seven per cent of the vote.
Last month, the People’s Party joined A Just Russia—a coalition of Motherland, the Party of Life and the Russian Pensioners Party—founded by Russian Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov. The People’s Party will change its name to People’s Front of Fight Against Corruption.
Russian voters are scheduled to renew the State Duma on Dec. 2.
Polling Data
Will Russia face the following irregularities during this year’s State Duma election?
(Positive responses only)
Manipulation of results by local and regional election commissions | 39% |
Vote-buying, bribing of electors by the government | 33% |
Vote-buying, bribing of electors by the opposition | 30% |
Omissions in the electoral roll, blamed on the government | 26% |
United Russia and others having an advantage during the campaign | 26% |
Changes, removal of candidates by the government | 26% |
Manipulation of results by the Central Election Commission | 23% |
No abuses or irregularities will be reported | 8% |
Hard to answer | 18% |
Source: Yury Levada Analytical Center
Methodology: Interviews to 1,600 Russian adults, conducted from Apr. 13 to Apr. 16, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
