The State Duma elections in Russia have concluded, and the results, announced by the Central Election Commission on 25 September, have already sparked considerable controversy. According to CEC Chair Ella Pamfilova, the United Russia party won 349 seats, a record in the history of the State Duma. The remaining political parties secured just 101 seats.
Among the other parties, the largest parliamentary groups were formed by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), with 37 seats, and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), which secured 23 seats. The ‘New People’ party secured 19 seats, whilst ‘Fair Russia’ secured 17. Five seats in the Duma went to independent candidates and representatives of smaller parties. Interestingly, 46 of the elected deputies were participants in the hostilities in Ukraine.
The first sitting of the new State Duma is scheduled for 30 September. Voter turnout stood at almost 60 per cent, though the election was not without its critics. Independent analysts and observers noted possible fraud and anomalies in the distribution of votes, particularly in areas without observers. However, the Central Election Commission rejected these allegations, stating that there had been only a minimal number of irregularities.
In addition to the scandals within Russia, the holding of elections in the occupied Ukrainian territories also sparked discontent. Ukraine and the European Union officially refused to recognise the legitimacy of the vote in these territories. Among those elected were well-known figures such as Alexander Borodai, the former leader of the ‘DPR’, and the journalist Irina Kuksenkova.
The Yabloko party, known for its anti-war slogans, was left with virtually no representatives in the State Duma; its candidates failed to clear the electoral threshold, although they performed reasonably well in some constituencies. Interestingly, despite this, the party managed to win seats in the Novgorod Regional Duma.
These elections have demonstrated how the political situation in Russia remains unstable and polarised. The authorities are claiming success, but questions and doubts are mounting within society regarding the integrity and fairness of the electoral process.