MOSCOW, Sept 18 - Voting opened on Friday for a three-day parliamentary election that will decide the composition of the 450-seat lower house of Russia's parliament, the State Duma. President Vladimir Putin has cast the vote as a test of public support for Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.
This is the first parliamentary contest since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Observers expect the ruling United Russia party, which supports the president, to maintain its leading position within what is described as a tightly controlled political system.
Most candidates who oppose the war were removed from contention after the Supreme Court concluded that the liberal Yabloko party had violated electoral rules. Despite that ruling, some Yabloko-affiliated candidates remain listed on ballots in individual constituencies.
In a televised address ahead of the opening of polling, President Putin urged citizens to vote, saying that participation would help ensure Russia's victory in Ukraine and display national resolve in the face of outside pressure. The Kremlin has emphasized the need for national unity, citing what it says are increasingly dangerous efforts by Ukraine's intelligence services and other adversaries to foment unrest inside Russia.
Voting is taking place against a backdrop of growing public anxiety in some quarters over how the conflict affects daily life. Polls cited in reporting indicate an uptick in concern among Russians about the local consequences of the war.
Economic pressures are also evident. Authorities are expected to use the election as a gauge of the depth of society's war weariness as the country contends with fuel shortages in parts of Russia attributed to Ukrainian drone strikes, and as businesses face elevated interest rates, a labour crunch and Western sanctions.
Officials said that initial and partial results would begin to appear at 1800 GMT on Sunday, with near-complete counts expected on Monday.
Context and process
- The three-day span of voting will determine the makeup of the 450-seat State Duma.
- The political environment is characterized as tightly controlled, with the pro-Putin United Russia party favored to retain dominance.
- Legal rulings removed most anti-war candidates from the ballot, though a few Yabloko candidates remain in certain constituencies.
Timing of results
- Initial, partial tallies are scheduled to start at 1800 GMT on Sunday.
- Near-complete results are expected to be available on Monday.