December 2, 2007

Why Putin's "United Russia" party must win it all
Russian elections 2007
by Josef Schrabal

The December 2007 Russian elections into the 450 seat State Duma were decided when President Vladimir Putin agreed to take the number one position on the ballot of his “United Russia” party to assure that he will remain in control (perhaps as prime minister) even after the next presidential elections being restricted by constitutional prohibition to run for third consecutive term.

The “United Russia" was the only party allowed to campaign on national television. The day when millions of Russians were watching their president Putin on television, his opposition, the former chess champion Garri Kasparov was freed after completing a five-day jail sentence for taking part in an anti-Putin demonstration. Kasparov accused Russian authorities of "raping the whole electoral system".

But the Putin’s “United Russia" would probably win even in fair elections. Kremlin just wanted to make the victory by methods that are not in spirit of democracy but absolutely insured the results.

The main reason is that the Russia, during eight Putin's years reached the top of prosperity within three decades, An average Russian can buy today ten times as much as in 1999. Russia is emerging super power and its domestic growth is annually over seven percent and stocks has grown by $1 trillion. Soon it will level with that of Poland. Russia is becoming the “promised land” for the entire post-soviet world which is very important to the national self-confidence.

Putin succeeded in giving Russia and Russian people the feeling of stability. Unlike during Boris Jelcin, the government is centralized in Moscow and run by regional governors.

Pride is equally important. Russia is becoming a superpower again. Putin renewed the Russian tradition established during the II war. It is increasing it’s military budget and it is the largest exporter of arms. Russia can actively resist US and NATO’s spreading into the formerly Soviet zone such as the Central Europe and object placing missal base in Poland and radar in Czechland and threatening the West with termination of weapon agreement, all that to show the Russian people that Russia is big again.

Today's Russia is rich. It is the third (after China and Japan) having nearly 480 billion reserve in US Dollars. It is a major exporter of crude oil and spreading now pipe delivery-line of gas into Belgium, it makes gas-dependent even the western Europe. Oil/gas daily revenues amount to $800 million.

Another reason for Putin's popularity was gradually introducing control over the media that are the foundation of democracy, including the private radio, the private television and newspapers. During the last few pre-election days even the access to the internet pages of the opposition was restricted.

By controlling the media, Putin increased pressure on voters, for example telling them that voting for somebody else would cost them their job, including teachers and governmental employees,

Opposition to present government is practically non existing, To make sure that the opposition will be kept out of the parliament, the minimum required representation was increased from five to seven percent.

Inasmuch as the official election results are not due until December 16, the exit polls conducted by Russian state-controlled companies show President Vladimir Putin's party winning more than 63 percent. The vote projections were released Sunday evening by Russian media, just minutes after the last polling stations closed in the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad.

The communist party was running a distant second with about 11.5 percent of the vote. Two other pro-Kremlin parties were shown clearing the seven percent threshold needed under new election laws to qualify for entry into parliament.The Liberal Democrats 9 percent and Just Russia 7.8 percent.

Other author's articles about Russia:

Nov. 19, 2004: Gasprom to take it all or Putin's "democracy": half-governmental capitalism HERE

July 15, 2006: G8-Plus St.Petersburg, Russia HERE

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