Statement by Grigory Yavlinsky on the removal of Yabloko from the State Duma elections, 17.08.2026

Photo: The Supreme Court hearing on 17 August 2026 / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

The ruling of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation removing Yabloko from the elections is unprecedented in the destructive impact it has on the constitutional foundations of the electoral system, freedom of speech and creative expression, and fair political competition.

With this ruling, the authorities are diminishing the rights of all candidates, all electoral associations, and all voters. It fails to serve any of the legal values of the electoral process and obstructs the exercise of constitutional rights.

Removing Yabloko from the elections means accepting that the registration of candidates and lists can be cancelled on the basis of senseless and false speculation that has nothing whatsoever to do with reality.

And this despite the fact that the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation has repeatedly stated that the registration of candidates and candidate lists may only be cancelled where a substantial violation has been proven — one that actually affected, or could have affected, the outcome of the elections. In the present case, not one of the alleged violations is real.

The ruling reflects a fundamental rejection of fair, competitive elections in Russia.

Strictly speaking, what has happened is incompatible with the principles of legal certainty, proportionality, and good faith in the conduct of public authorities, as well as with the state’s constitutional duty to ensure free and democratic elections that inspire public trust.

Removing Yabloko from the elections is a significant political event, marking a serious deepening of the crisis in Russia’s political system, and a lack of any clear vision for the future we want.

The fate of Russia — this has always been our foremost concern, and it troubles us now more than ever.

The share of Russians who consider the country’s political situation tense or critical has reached 70% — the highest level since the mobilisation of September 2022; 57% of respondents describe the situation as “tense”, with a further 13% calling it “critical”. The main causes cited are the special military operation, drone attacks, rising prices, petrol shortages, and fear for the future.

The essence of this crisis is the gap between the state — or a significant proportion of the senior officials who represent it — and the real lives of ordinary people, the country’s genuine interests, and its future prospects.

In these circumstances, the authorities and all the parties currently in the State Duma became genuinely afraid of actually losing the election — Yabloko had a real prospect of coming second on 20 September. This is connected with a growing sense that the future is slipping away. People are feeling this more and more acutely, regardless of their political views or the position they hold. It was precisely this point of pain, this political nerve centre, that we struck with our participation in the elections and our programme, “For Peace and Freedom!”, consisting of just 43 words:

“For Peace and Freedom! For a Life Without Fear! For a ceasefire agreement, diplomacy, and the achievement of peace! Our goal is to prevent nuclear war. For a Russia free from fear and political repression. For the preservation of life, respect, dignity, and human wellbeing! Our goal is a prosperous, democratic Russia.”

As for us and our future, we will continue working just as we always have. The elections are only part of our activities. We understand very well the specific nature of elections in today’s Russia, and we used them as an opportunity to give people a chance to express their views on the future of our country and on the key issues of the present.

What matters in substance is the genuine support of our position among citizens, not the officially announced election result. Seats in the State Duma are not the main thing — there are far more important matters at stake right now.

To a significant extent, we have achieved our goal. It is already clear that Yabloko has succeeded in conveying to people a position fundamentally different from what other election participants are saying and offering.

Our position, set out in our 43-word programme, has attracted the attention of the broadest sections of society, sparked enormous interest among young people, and sown panic and fear among the leaders of all the State Duma parties.

Most importantly, through our participation in the elections and our election campaign, the authorities have, one way or another, received a signal that more and more people are linking the country’s future to the achievement of a ceasefire agreement, and see freedom and a life without fear in that future. People are tired of having no prospects; they need hope. Change is needed in the country’s political course.

So, to a certain extent, the goal set by the party has been achieved: by supporting Yabloko and the party’s election programme, Russian citizens have spoken out in favour of a ceasefire agreement, negotiations, and a diplomatic search for a resolution to the conflict. Our main task was not so much to win a handful of seats in the State Duma as to give voice to Russians’ political position on what is happening and on the future. And despite the party’s removal from the elections — which is absurd from a legal point of view — we succeeded in doing this.

To our fellow citizens, we express our sincere gratitude for your support, and we deeply value the stance taken by everyone who came to the Supreme Court in Moscow while our case was being heard. Thank you!

On behalf of the party’s leadership, I also would like to express my respect for Yabloko’s candidates, and to acknowledge their patriotism and courage: despite the risks and direct threats they faced, they made the decision to stand for election in the interests of our country.

We continue to take part in the 2026 federal elections: 127 of our candidates in single-mandate constituencies remain in the race for the State Duma, and Yabloko’s lists have been cleared to stand in regional parliament elections in five regions — the Novgorod, Kaliningrad, Sverdlovsk, Tomsk and Pskov regions.

We go on working — for the good of Russia, for the good of all the citizens of our country.

Source: https://www.yavlinsky.ru/article/my-prodolzhaem-rabotat/