The Russian parliamentary elections have begun and will continue until Sunday, September 20. Despite the absence of opposition parties, observers believe that this event could serve as a measure of public opinion on Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia.
Conditions for Holding Elections and Controlled Areas
On Friday, September 18, the first polling stations opened in the Kamchatka Peninsula, the farthest point in eastern Russia. This election is recognized as the first State Duma election with 450 representatives since the start of this country's aggressive war against Ukraine in February 2022. More than 110 million people have been called to vote for one of the 10 parties close to the Kremlin.
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This election is being held for the first time in parts of regions belonging to Ukraine that are now under Russian control, despite Ukraine's protests. These areas include Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, which have been illegally annexed by Russia. Voting will also take place in the Crimean Peninsula, which is occupied by Russia.
Independent Organizations and Pressure on Voters
Sabine Adler, a veteran journalist on Russian affairs, emphasizes in interviews that this election is neither free nor fair. She describes the Kremlin's approach as contrary to international law and states that Moscow's leadership sees this election as a form of proving loyalty to itself. Voters in these areas are under pressure, and anyone who refrains from voting may find themselves on a so-called "disloyal persons" list.
Vladimir Putin views this voting as a symbol of Russia's unity and a vote of confidence for the country's victory in the war against Ukraine. The "Yabloko" party, which opposes the war, was barred from participating in the elections last August as the last opposition force. Additionally, the "Golos" movement, which was the last independent election monitoring organization in Russia, was shut down last year.
Political analysts expect the "United Russia" party to secure a two-thirds majority of the votes. Officials are closely monitoring who goes to the polls to determine who is willing to comply and who might distance themselves from the process. The goal of this election is to demonstrate a normal and controlled situation.
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