Ahead of regional elections in September and legislative elections due next year, a flurry of parties has rushed onto Russia’s political scene. The fact that anti-corruption activist and senior opposition figure Alexei Navalny is still barred from registering his party has fuelled speculation of a Kremlin ploy. “The main objective is really to minimise the risk of a decline in the popularity of the ruling United Russia party,” said Tatiana Stanovaya of the R.Politik think tank. The figures mark a steep decline from 2016 when United Russia won 54%of votes in legislative elections. This sudden burst of activity, says Stanovaya, is designed by the Kremlin to draw attention from Russia’s difficulties.

Source: The Express Tribune March 06, 2020 09:56 UTC