Key facts
- Russians are voting in parliamentary elections to elect a new State Duma.
- United Russia is expected to maintain its parliamentary majority.
- The election is the first since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
- The anti-war party Yabloko was barred from the ballot.
- Political analyst Farida Rustamova noted that many candidates barely campaigned.
- Vladimir Putin stated that participation in the election demonstrates unity with soldiers in Ukraine.
Russians are heading to the polls for parliamentary elections, a vote widely seen as tightly controlled with predictable outcomes, expected to see Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party extend its 23-year dominance. This is the first Duma election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, taking place against a backdrop of increasing public anxiety about the war and a further tightening of Kremlin control.
The three-day vote began on Friday, with results anticipated after polls close on Sunday. The authorities have removed the only political force openly challenging the invasion, the liberal anti-war party Yabloko, from the ballot. Other parties, including the Communists and Liberal Democrats, form what is known as the “systemic opposition,” permitted to criticize on the margins but aligning with United Russia on key Kremlin issues.
Political analysts describe the campaigns as strikingly lifeless, with many candidates avoiding the spotlight and sensitive discussions. Farida Rustamova, founder of the Vlast newsletter, noted that candidates barely campaigned, and televised debates sometimes featured empty studios due to no-shows. United Russia’s campaign videos have reportedly relied on low-budget AI, lacking memorable slogans or promises. A person close to the Kremlin, speaking anonymously, suggested the election is being kept low-key to depress turnout among disaffected voters while ensuring supporters vote, and to avoid discussing difficult issues.
Vladimir Gelman, a professor of Russian politics at the University of Helsinki, stated that these elections, while neither free nor fair, serve as the sole source of legitimacy for the Kremlin, reinforcing the impression of broad public consent for the political system and the war. Putin himself explicitly linked election participation to the war in Ukraine in a televised address, framing voting as a demonstration of unity. The previous Duma passed 170 laws supporting the military operation, with 100% agreement.