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"Russia today... is a police state"
I'm sure glad that NATO has pushed forward with its expansion!
While France and Germany are trying to find ways to kiss the Kremlin's ass at the expense of allies...
While France and Germany are trying to find ways to kiss the Kremlin's ass at the expense of allies...
March 11, 2007, 5:30PM
Russia elections blasted as orchestrated
By STEVE GUTTERMAN Associated Press Writer
© 2007 The Associated Press
MOSCOW — Russians voted Sunday in regional ballots marred by complaints that Kremlin opponents are increasingly being sidelined before national parliamentary elections in December and a vote to replace President Vladimir Putin next year.
The elections for legislative assemblies in 14 of Russia's 86 regions were held under new rules that critics say continue a retreat from democracy and restrict the ability of voters to voice discontent.
They provided a test for Just Russia, a new party that promotes itself as the opposition but supports Putin and is seen as a tool to channel public anger at the authorities away from ardent opponents while broadening the Kremlin's support base.
Exit polls showed the dominant Kremlin-controlled party, United Russia, retaining its strength in most regions, but suggested that Just Russia would gain a foothold and take nearly half the votes in one province.
Just Russia led United Russia in the Stavropol region, with 40 percent to 29 percent, according to exit polls conducted by the respected VTsIOM, the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion. The organization said it questioned about every fifth voter at polling stations until 6 p.m., two hours before the polls closed.
Official preliminary results were not expected until Monday, but VTsIOM's exit polls in nine other regions showed United Russia appearing to retain approximately the level of support it had in the old regional assemblies.
While 14 parties and their candidates competed in the elections, critics said the appearance of genuine pluralism was only superficial.
Voters in St. Petersburg expressed dismay that some parties had been barred from the ballot — notably Yabloko, a liberal party that was excluded by a ruling that more than 10 percent of the signatures it gathered to enter the race were invalid.
"It didn't look good — it looked rather artificial that they were not allowed," said Anna Vyborova, 33, a tour guide.
The liberal Union of Right Forces, known by its Russian abbreviation SPS, was barred from the ballot in four regions — in some cases, its leader said, because candidates withdrew under pressure from threats or with promises of jobs.
Sunday's vote signaled the start of a year of elections that will culminate with a March 2008 presidential vote in which Putin is constitutionally barred from running, because he has served two terms. Critics say the Kremlin — nervously eyeing his departure — wants to choreograph the elections to ensure a smooth succession and enable the popular president to maintain influence after he steps down.
"Russia today technically is a police state and this corrupt and unethical Putin regime is trying to survive at any cost," They know that with free and fair elections and no censorship they will not last long," former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, who leads the Other Russia opposition movement, told The Associated Press.
Putin has hinted he will choose a favored successor and he evidently wants to leave little to chance.
By limiting the outlets for opposition sentiment, the Kremlin has pushed some opponents into the streets. Last weekend, police in St. Petersburg violently dispersed one of the largest opposition demonstrations in Russia in years; among protesters' main complaints was that opposition parties were blocked from the ballot.
United Russia and Just Russia were on the ballots in all 14 regions, along with the Communist Party and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, whose flamboyant ultranationalist leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky is seen as loyal to the Kremlin. SPS, Yabloko and several smaller parties were also on some of the ballots.
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Associated Press Writer Irina Titova in St. Petersburg contributed to this report.
Russia elections blasted as orchestrated
By STEVE GUTTERMAN Associated Press Writer
© 2007 The Associated Press
MOSCOW — Russians voted Sunday in regional ballots marred by complaints that Kremlin opponents are increasingly being sidelined before national parliamentary elections in December and a vote to replace President Vladimir Putin next year.
The elections for legislative assemblies in 14 of Russia's 86 regions were held under new rules that critics say continue a retreat from democracy and restrict the ability of voters to voice discontent.
They provided a test for Just Russia, a new party that promotes itself as the opposition but supports Putin and is seen as a tool to channel public anger at the authorities away from ardent opponents while broadening the Kremlin's support base.
Exit polls showed the dominant Kremlin-controlled party, United Russia, retaining its strength in most regions, but suggested that Just Russia would gain a foothold and take nearly half the votes in one province.
Just Russia led United Russia in the Stavropol region, with 40 percent to 29 percent, according to exit polls conducted by the respected VTsIOM, the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion. The organization said it questioned about every fifth voter at polling stations until 6 p.m., two hours before the polls closed.
Official preliminary results were not expected until Monday, but VTsIOM's exit polls in nine other regions showed United Russia appearing to retain approximately the level of support it had in the old regional assemblies.
While 14 parties and their candidates competed in the elections, critics said the appearance of genuine pluralism was only superficial.
Voters in St. Petersburg expressed dismay that some parties had been barred from the ballot — notably Yabloko, a liberal party that was excluded by a ruling that more than 10 percent of the signatures it gathered to enter the race were invalid.
"It didn't look good — it looked rather artificial that they were not allowed," said Anna Vyborova, 33, a tour guide.
The liberal Union of Right Forces, known by its Russian abbreviation SPS, was barred from the ballot in four regions — in some cases, its leader said, because candidates withdrew under pressure from threats or with promises of jobs.
Sunday's vote signaled the start of a year of elections that will culminate with a March 2008 presidential vote in which Putin is constitutionally barred from running, because he has served two terms. Critics say the Kremlin — nervously eyeing his departure — wants to choreograph the elections to ensure a smooth succession and enable the popular president to maintain influence after he steps down.
"Russia today technically is a police state and this corrupt and unethical Putin regime is trying to survive at any cost," They know that with free and fair elections and no censorship they will not last long," former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, who leads the Other Russia opposition movement, told The Associated Press.
Putin has hinted he will choose a favored successor and he evidently wants to leave little to chance.
By limiting the outlets for opposition sentiment, the Kremlin has pushed some opponents into the streets. Last weekend, police in St. Petersburg violently dispersed one of the largest opposition demonstrations in Russia in years; among protesters' main complaints was that opposition parties were blocked from the ballot.
United Russia and Just Russia were on the ballots in all 14 regions, along with the Communist Party and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, whose flamboyant ultranationalist leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky is seen as loyal to the Kremlin. SPS, Yabloko and several smaller parties were also on some of the ballots.
___
Associated Press Writer Irina Titova in St. Petersburg contributed to this report.
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