Press Release, 25.05.2022

Photo: The Moscow City Duma / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

The Moscow City Duma did not support Yabloko’s amendments to the Moscow Electoral Code on the return of a mixed electoral system and the possibility to appoint election observers from public associations. Yabloko’s amendments to the Electoral Code of Moscow were presented by Andrei Morev head of the municipal district Yakimanka in Moscow, Chairman of the Council of Deputies of the district and Deputy Chairman of the Moscow branch of Yabloko.

The Council of Deputies of Yakimanka proposed to increase the number of deputies to 90 (twice), as well as change the electoral system to a mixed one: 45 deputies to be elected from single-mandate constituencies, as before, and 45 deputies to be elected from party lists.

To date, one deputy in the Moscow State Duma represents the interests of about 180,000 voters. However, the actual number of residents of the city, with whom each deputy must work, is even greater – 280,000 residents, along with children, whose interests need to be also protected. The authors of the amendments note that the burden on Moscow deputies is several times higher than the burden on representatives of the legislative bodies of European and Asian megacities. This factor, together with a reduction in the number of municipal deputies, has a bad effect on the efficiency of the Moscow City Duma, as it makes it more difficult for Muscovites to apply for help.

It should be noted that the majority of deputies of the Moscow City Duma perform their duties free of charge.

Another amendment to the Moscow Electoral Code concerned nomination of election observers.

“As we could see, every year the results of the elections are questioned by an increasingly significant part of the inhabitants of Moscow. In 2019, this level of distrust even led to street protests that were stifled by the tightening of repressive legislation during the pandemic. After the elections to the Moscow City Duma of the current convocation, dozens of Muscovites were repressed in the so-called the “Moscow [riots] case”. I am sure that none of those present in the hall would like law-abiding citizens who went out to protest to serve imprisonment terms in colonies or settlements,” Andrei Morev said in his speech at the Moscow State Duma.

In order to increase the confidence of citizens in the electoral process, the moral and legal legitimacy of the elected authorities in the eyes of citizens, the Council of Deputies of Yakimanka proposed to increase the possibilities of civil society to observe elections and give public associations the right to nominate election observers.

However, the initiatives of Andrei Morev, head of the Yakimanka municipal district and a municipal deputy from Yabloko, were not supported: most of the pro-government deputies left the hall and did not take part in the vote.

Meanwhile, two hours earlier, the Moscow City Duma adopted other amendments to the Electoral Code of Moscow by a the majority of votes. In particular, the institution of members of electoral commissions with the right to an advisory vote was abolished, regulations were adopted for preliminary submission of a list of observers to the polling station, a mechanism for removing observers from polling stations was envisaged, electoral commissions of municipalities were abolished (they had been elected, not appointed), the upper margin of 3,000 voters per a polling station was abolished, the electronic register of voters was legalised, regulations were adopted for widespread use of remote electronic voting, and the powers of voters to recall the mayor of the Moscow were cancelled.

All the deputies of the Yabloko faction of the Moscow City Duma voted against the adoption of these amendments to the Electoral Code of Moscow.