Preliminary results from the recent Russian parliamentary election indicate that the ruling party, United Russia, is set to retain its constitutional majority in the State Duma. This outcome was widely anticipated in a political environment closely monitored by the Kremlin. United Russia, which is backed by President Vladimir Putin, is projected to have even larger numbers than in the previous election.
The election took place against the backdrop of ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, which has led to significant losses for the Russian military and economic challenges, including recent petrol shortages attributed to Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil facilities.
Other parties that have cleared the 5% threshold to enter the Duma include those that were part of the previous parliament, which supported the Kremlin's policies. Notably, the anti-war party Yabloko was removed from the ballot shortly after being registered, reflecting concerns from the Kremlin about its pro-peace stance gaining public support. Yabloko's chairman, Nikolai Rybakov, expressed skepticism about any changes in the new Duma, stating that all parties on the ballot support Putin's policies.
Despite Yabloko's exclusion from the party list, around a hundred of its candidates participated in individual constituency races, but preliminary results indicate that none secured seats. Rybakov mentioned that many candidates faced significant obstacles, including imprisonment and disqualification.
On the final day of the three-day election, Ukraine conducted a drone attack in the Moscow area, resulting in casualties. Voters expressed a sense of resignation regarding the ongoing conflict, with one voter noting that such attacks have become a regular occurrence.
The Kremlin is expected to leverage the election results to assert that the Russian populace supports President Putin, which may influence future policies regarding the war in Ukraine. While Putin has ruled out further mobilization for the conflict, concerns about potential future mobilization persist among the public. The election outcome may be interpreted as a mandate to continue the current military strategy.