President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party has won a record supermajority in parliamentary elections, according to near-complete official results. The party secured over 58 percent of the votes, positioning it to win more than three-quarters of the seats in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, following three days of voting that concluded on Sunday.
This election marks the first parliamentary vote since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the first to include residents from four Ukrainian regions that were annexed by Moscow. Dmitry Medvedenko, reporting from Moscow for Al Jazeera, noted that the results, alongside a voter turnout of nearly 60 percent, may be interpreted by Moscow as a sign of public support for its actions in Ukraine.
Ella Pamfilova, chair of the Central Electoral Commission, stated that the Yabloko party, the only registered anti-war party in Russia, did not secure any seats at the national level after being removed from the ballot by the Supreme Court. However, Yabloko did gain entry into the regional parliament in Novgorod, receiving approximately 12,000 votes, or just over six percent, sufficient for representation.
The Communist Party, which has criticized certain government policies without directly opposing Putin, garnered 13.8 percent of the vote, earning 40 Duma seats. The nationalist LDPR party won 25 seats, while the New People party secured 20.
Russia did not invite observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which has faced accusations of double standards from the Foreign Ministry. OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pere Joan Pons stated that the exclusion of observers contravened Russia’s commitments as a member.
Many Russians expressed little surprise at the election results. A Moscow resident named Tatyana remarked, "In the morning, I saw that United Russia was winning. It probably comes as a surprise to nobody." She expressed a desire for an end to the conflict in Ukraine through peaceful means.
Concerns persist regarding the continuation of the war, which may further entrench policies affecting average Russians. Tatyana Stanovaya from the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center commented that Putin is likely to interpret United Russia’s results as public support for the war, despite a growing demand for its conclusion. She highlighted apprehensions about mobilization, repression, and potential escalation.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, dismissed the elections as a facade of democracy, stating, "The Kremlin silenced dissent, barred the only registered party that opposed its war in Ukraine and shut out international election monitors."
A joint statement from five countries, including Australia, Britain, and Canada, condemned Russia’s elections in occupied Ukraine, labeling them as part of a broader system of occupation.