August 07, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many people in Russia think the country’s political scene should include at least two or three strong parties, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 45 per cent of respondents agree with this view, up five points since last year.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many people in Russia think the country’s political scene should include at least two or three strong parties, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 45 per cent of respondents agree with this view, up five points since last year.

Conversely, 32 per cent of respondents prefer to have one strong ruling party, eight per cent suggest having many relatively small parties, and six per cent believe no political parties are necessary in the Russian Federation.

Russian voters renewed the State Duma in December 2007. United Russia (YR)—whose candidate list was headed by then president Vladimir Putin—secured 64.1 per cent of the vote and 315 of the legislature’s 450 seats. The Communist Party (KPRF) finished second with 11.6 per cent of the vote and 57 seats, followed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) with 40 seats, and the opposition movement A Just Russia with 38 seats.

Putin eventually endorsed Dmitry Medvedev as a presidential candidate, and Medvedev said it would be of the "utmost importance" to have Putin as prime minister.

In March, Medvedev easily won Russia’s presidential election with 70.28 per cent of the vote. In May, Medvedev was sworn in as president. His nomination of Putin as prime minister was confirmed by the State Duma in a 392-56 vote.

Last month, Aleksandr Kynev—head of regional programmes at the Foundation for the Development of Information Policy—argued that having a strong multi-party system would be beneficial in the long run for Russia’s democracy, declaring, "If some political party other than United Russia is actually strengthened, it will be a step towards a more balanced system: Then the president will look more independent."

Polling Data

In your opinion, how many political parties are necessary now in Russia?

	2008	2007
One strong ruling party	32%	28%
Two or three large parties	45%	40%
Many relatively small parties	8%	9%
No parties are necessary in Russia	6%	7%
Hard to answer	9%	16%

Source: Yury Levada Analytical Center
Methodology: Interviews with 1,600 Russian adults, conducted from Jul. 18 to Jul. 22, 2008. No margin of error was provided.