Regional Elections

Regional Elections

Regional and Municipal Elections 2002-2009

Press releases

Everything except proper elections took place on a single election day October 11, 2009

Press release, November 24, 2009

On November 18, 2009, the interior of the Moscow Region initiated a round table talk “The results of elections to local self-government and municipal entities of the Moscow Region and the role of political parties and public organisations in the formation of civil society and counteraction to political extremism”.

Representatives of all political parties and a number of public organisations participated in the round table. The YABLOKO party was represented by Deputy Chair of the Moscow Region branch of the party Alexander Gunko.

Almost all the participants of the round table marked a high level of security provision at the past elections in the Moscow Region.

“All was organised well on October 11. The police ensured order. The only thing which was lacking was the elections,” Gunko said.

European Liberals' congress adopts urgent resolutions on Russia’s elections on October 11

Press release, November 20, 2009

Today the congress of the European Liberal Democrat and Reformers Party (ELDR) joining together European liberal parties has unanimously and without objections adopted an urgent resolution on Russia’s elections submitted by YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin.

The ELDR congress is taking place in Barcelona, Catalonia, on November 19-20. Over 600 delegates from all the European countries participate in the Congress. The YABLOKO party which has been ELDR member since 2006 is represented by Sergei Mitrokhin.

The resolution states that the elections that took place in Russia on October 11, 2009, “demonstrated an unprecedented scope of falsification of results of the voting and violations of the law confirmed by observers from all the political parties, except the ruling party, and mass media”.

ELDR Congress 2009
19th-20th November, Barcelona, Catalonia

URGENCY RESOLUTION submitted by YABLOKO

The ELDR congress convening in Barcelona on November 19-20, 2009,

Observes that:
- The elections that took place in Russia on October 11, 2009, demonstrated an unprecedented scope of falsification of results of the voting and violations of the law confirmed by observers from all the political parties, except the ruling party, and mass media.

States that:
- ELDR will closely observe the development of the situation with lawsuits and complaints on election fraud.

Calls on:
The Russian authorities to:
- conduct a full inspection of candidates and parties’ complaints, and the evidence of election fraud published by the media, and take urgent remedy measures up to declaring the elections void;
- observe democratic standards and Russia’s obligations under its membership in the OSCE and in the Council of Europe on ensuring free and fair elections;
- ensure free and equal conditions for all political parties and candidates and maximum public control over elections and voting.

International Federation of Liberal Youth condemned elections fraud in Russia

Special for YABLOKO’s web-site by Ksenia Vakhrusheva, November 17, 2009

Alexander Gudimov, President of the St.Petersburg branch of the Youth YABLOKO and Ksenia Vakhrusheva, International Officer of the St.Petersburg branch of the Youth YABLOKO, took part in the annual General Assembly of the International Federation of Liberal Youth, held on 12-15 November in the Hague, the Netherlands. The GA joined together over130 young liberals from 35 countries, who are ready to stand for liberal values in there home countries and in the world, who shared their experience
The key points of the agenda were elections of the new executive board, voting for amendments to the Manifesto and resolutions... On the initiative of Youth Yabloko the General Assembly developed and adopted a resolution on condemning elections fraud in Russia. The resolution was approved by a majority.

YABLOKO assesses President’s Address to the Federal Assembly as controversial

Press release, November 12, 2009

The YABLOKO party shares President’s call to modernization on the basis of democratic values, however, YABLOKO does not see any signs of the real change of the political course towards the indicated goals. Such a statement was made by YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin.
“We welcome the President’s statement that Russia’s modernization should be carried out on the basis of democratic values and free development of individuals. At the same time, the Address does not show a link between modernization and democracy,” Mitrokhin said.
Mitrokhin also added that absence of a tough assessment of falsifications at the regional elections on October 11 demonstrated this too well.
According to YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin, “voting and fraud of elections of October 11 should become one of the key topics of Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly.”

YABLOKO: The key topic of Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly should be election fraud

Press release, November 12, 2009

According to YABLOKO’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin, “voting and fraud of elections of October 11 should become one of the key topics of Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly.”

“Obvious falsification of the results of the voting on October 11 showed to the Russian society and the entire world that the institute of democratic elections has been virtually demolished in the country,” Mitrokhin added.

Mitrokhin thinks that “in such a situation the President should propose the measures targeted at ensuring of honest elections.”

YABLOKO’s leader also thinks that the President should immediately introduce into the State Duma amendments containing the following provisions...

Liberal International accused the Russian authorities in election fraud on October 11, 2009

Press release, November 1, 2009

The 56th congress of the Liberal International, international organisation of liberals and liberal parties, finished its work yesterday night.

The congress adopted basic resolution World Today reflecting liberal assessment of situation in different countries and regions of the world.
Assessing the situation in Russia the congress noted that “the legislation which has extended the term of the Russian Presidency from four to six years, going against the basic democratic rule of governmental change and leading to the growth of bureaucratic supremacy and corruption in Russia”.

On the initiative of Sergei Mitrokhin, YABLOKO’s delegate at the congress, the resolution also expressed concern about the ongoing trend towards abolishing of honest and fair elections, as well as curbing of human rights in Russia”.

Hamburgs’ parliament heard report on St.Petersburg elections to local self-government bodies

Press release, October 30, 2009

On October 27, 2009, Galina Mikhalyova, Executive Secretary of the Political Committee of the YABLOKO party made a report on the St.Petersburg elections to local self-government bodies that took place on March 1, 2009, in the regional parliament of Hamburg. The hearings were initiated by the “Alternative List – the Green” faction. The faction together with Christian Democrats forms the ruling coalition in Hamburg’s parliament.

St.Petersburg is a sister-city for St.Petersburg. Both the cities are closely tied via different economic, social and cultural projects. That is why Hamburg’s parliament expressed its concern over the political situation in St.Petersburg.

YABLOKO participated in the municipal elections in ten Russia’s regions

Press Release, October 13, 2009

October 11 was a single voting day in many Russian Federation subjects where regional and municipal elections took place. The YABLOKO party participated in the municipal elections in ten Russia’s regions showing very good results in some of the regions.

YABLOKO’s candidate V.Pshenichnikov won (30.37%) at the election of the Polevsky District Duma, Sverdlovsk region. Another party candidate A.Dulenkov came second in the election race to the Council of Deputies in Golitsino, the Moscow region, obtaining 30.36%.

YABLOKO also demonstrated good results at the elections in Ingushetia. About 30% (preliminary results) of the residents in the Bert-Yurt settlement and about 20% in the Ekazhevo settlement voted for the YABLOKO party list. The party was also a success at the municipal election in the Malgobek city.

Member of YABLOKO A.Ledebev came third with 25.78% of the votes at the election to the Council of Deputes of Vlasovskoye, the Leningrad region.

YABLOKO’s candidates came second after United Russia candidates at the elections of heads of rural settlements in Krivandinskoye and Misheronsky rural settlements, Shatura district, the Moscow region.

Hands off from Olga Kolokolova!

Statement of the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO September 29, 2009

The YABLOKO party expresses its resolute protest against pressure on behalf of the Public Prosecutor Office on the Territorial Electoral Commission of Krasnokamensk municipal district of the Perm Area so that to prevent Olga Kolokolova, candidate from the YABLOKO party and the leader of the Perm branch of YABLOKO to participate in the election of the head of the region

The YABLOKO party considers the increased attention from the Public Prosecutor's Office to the opposition candidate as a political order of the governmental party trying to prevent one of the key candidates to be elected the district head.

Governmental United Russia asks the Central Electoral Commission to defend it from YABLOKO

Press-Release, September 29, 2009

The web-site of the Central Electoral Commission published on September 24 an appeal signed by the leaders of the United Russia, the Fair Russia, CPRF, LDPR and the Right Course parties. The indicated parties complained of “discrediting of their registered candidates” by the YABLOKO and the Patriots of Russia parties in the Klin district, Moscow Region...

Deputy head of the Moscow Region branch of YABLOKO and member of the Federal Council of the party Dmitry Ilyushin commented such a complaint as follows, “Frankly speaking I was surprise to learn that we had managed to scare the judicial and law-enforcement bodies in such a way that now the governmental party decided to protect them from us.”

Klin residents demand resignation of head of the district A.Postrigan

Press Release, September 13, 2009

A rally organised by the YABLOKO party in Klin, Moscow region, took place on September 13. About 500 people came to the rally demanding Alexander Postrigan, head of the Klin district to resign.

Speaking at the rally Yuri Samsonov, leader of the YABLOKO list of candidates in Klin, noted that Alexander Postrigan “experimented” with introduction of an “absolutely proportional” system at the election and putting under control of the local authorities virtually all the local branches of political parties, but for YABLOKO and Patriots of Russia. The former two parties were not allowed to participate in the election by the local Electoral Commission.

Mitrokhin demands that deception of the electorate should be stopped

Press Release, September 10, 2009

Today speaking at the round table devoted to registration of candidates for elections to local self-government bodies that will take place on October 11, 2009, Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of the YABLOKO party, has said that procedure of collection of signatures turned into a nightmare for the candidates.

“It is more or less bearable for the parties, as they have administrative staff [who can help in the organisation of collection of signatures], however, the task becomes simply back-breaking for single-mandate candidates,” Sergei Mitrokhin noted in his speech.

Head of the Klin district Alexander Postrigan to face criminal proceedings

Press Release, September 9, 2009

On September 8 Public Prosecutor of the Moscow Region opened a criminal case against head of the Klin district Alexander Postrigan. However, representatives of the Public Prosecutor’s Office refused to give any details referring to the confidentiality of the investigation.

However, a source told YABLOKO that Postrigan is accused of fraud with real estate. The source also mentioned that as head of the district Postrigan first turned into municipal property and then privatized several objects of the city connected with the military complex. That is why the case is stamped as confidential. It also turned out that Postrigan’s wife heading the local Registration Chamber helped him to privities these entities.

YABLOKO’s candidates registered for the election in the Leningrad region

Press Release, September 8, 2009

On September 8 the District Electoral Commission of Vsevolzhsk city (Leningrad region) registered member of the YABLOKO party Olga Nikitina for the municipal election that will take place on October 11.

Earlier the Electoral Commission had expressed its doubts in the authenticity of seven signatures out of the total submitted by Nikitina. The commission had stated that “people different from those who signed in the lists” lived at the indicated addresses. The doubts of the commission were assuaged only after Nikitina submitted to the commission copies of the passports (containing their residence addresses) of those persons whose signatures were questioned.

YABLOKO organisation in Klin refutes the allegations of the criminal past of its candidates

Press Release, September 7, 2009

On September 3, the official web-site of the Klin District Administration (Moscow region) published an article entitled Klin YABLOKO Conceals Criminal Past of Its Candidates.

YABLOKO assesses such a publication as a campaign targeted at the discrediting of the party, whose activists have been criticising Alexander Postrigan, head of the Klin district, and prepared a meeting (scheduled on September 13) where they are going to demand his resignation.

YABLOKO’s branch in Tula registered in the elections

Press Release, September 7, 2009

The Electoral Commission of the Tula region has registered YABLOKO’s list of candidates in the elections of the regional parliament (the Tula Region Duma) which will take place on October 11.

The Electoral Commission was dissatisfied with only 2% of the total number of the signatures submitted by the regional YABLOKO branch for registration in the election campaign. In 12 days the regional branch of the party managed to collect 17,640 signatures at required 14,180.

Yuri Samsonov about criminal actions of the head of the Klin district (Moscow Region) and non-registration of YABLOKO at the municipal election

Press Release, September 3, 2009

Press-conference “On the criminal and political situation in the Moscow Region” took place in the Independent Press Centre on September 3. Yuri Samsonov, leader of the YABLOKO election list in Klin told the journalists about unlawful actions of local administration headed by Alexander Postrigan who has been heading the district for 17 years already. According to Samsonov, Postrigan has managed to try all the top posts (sometimes he even held several posts at once) for these years. Samsonov also quoted the head of the Klin district saying that “no one will dare to do anything in the district without his personal permission”.

Press-conference “On the criminal and political situation in the Moscow Region”

Press Release, September 2, 2009

Press-conference “On the criminal and political situation in the Moscow Region” will take place on September 3, at 3.15 p.m. Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of the YABLOKO party, Seregi Kryzhov, member of the Bureau of the Moscow Region branch of YABLOKO and deputy of Sergiyev Posad municipal council, Dmitry Ilyushin, deputy head of the Moscow Regional branch of YABLOKO and Yuri Samsonov topping YABLOKO’s list at the election in Klin will participate in the press-conference.

The Ingush YABLOKO submitted signatures for registration at the municipal elections

Press Release, August 28, 2009

On August 26 the Ingush regional branch of the YABLOKO party submitted signatures required for registration of election lists at the campaign. Now the republican electoral commissions have to decide whether to let YABLOKO to participate in the elections that will be held on October 11. It is the first time in the history of Ingushetia that elections of legislative bodies on the municipal level are taking place. Regional branches of political parties have begun actively campaigning in the republic. Daud Garakoyev, leader of the Ingush YABLOKO, told about the specifics of the election campaign in the region

The Territorial Electoral Commission refuses to register YABLOKO at the election in Klin, Moscow Region

Press Release, August 28, 2009

The Territorial Electoral Commission refused to register YABLOKO at the election in the Klin district, Moscow Region. The election will take place on October 11. The decision on non-registration of YABLOKO’s list was adopted on the night August 26. It should be noted that the decision refers to all YABLOKO lists for all the cities and settlements of the Klin district...

On the night when the Territorial Electoral Commission refused to register YABLOKO in the race someone broke windows in the office of the Klin YABLOKO situated in the centre of the city. YABLOKO’s staff are certain that this case of vandalism is politically motivated.

The Moscow Region branch of YABLOKO nominated its candidates to run at municipal elections

Press Release, August 10, 2009

21st conference of the Moscow Region branch of YABLOKO took place on August 8. The Conference nominated candidates to run at the municipal elections in the Moscow Region.

Thus, Misheronsky city in the Shatura Area will have four candidates. The Klin branch of YABLOKO headed by attorney Elena Samsonova had the proxies for nominating candidates in the Klin area.

Sergei Kryzhov elected deputy of the Municipal Council of Sergiyev Posad Area
Press Release, July 14, 2009
Member of the Bureau of the Moscow Region branch of YABLOKO Sergei Kryzhov was elected deputy of the Municipal Council of Sergiyev Posad Area, Moscow Region.

Publications

The Constitutional Court makes removal of candidates from electoral lists more difficult for the parties

By Galina Mikhalyova, Executive Secretary of YABLOKO’s Political Committee
kommentarii.ru, November 14, 2009

The [Constitutional Court’s] decision will broaden the rights of members of our mostly authoritatively constructed parties only to a small extent… However, while it is allowed to have “locomotives” (Ed. well-known persons topping party election lists and bringing a large number of votes for the party and resigning right after the election), this decision will not be able to cardinally change the situation. The key problem lies not only in our legislation but also in the law enforcement practices. The laws on parties and on elections are abundant with excess regulations complicating performance for the parties, especially for the opposition parties, however, the laws lack a clear framework that would make the parties to abide by democratic procedures (e.g., a ban on dismissal and appointing of the governing bodies).

The 56th Congress of the Liberal International. Urgency resolution submitted by YABLOKO

The 56th Congress of the LIberal Internatioanl convening in Cairo...

Calls on:
The Russian authorities to:
- conduct a full inspection of the complaints of the actions (or negligence) of election commissions in all the Russian Federation subjects, all the evidence of fraud published by the mass media and punish all those guilty of election fraud, as well as take urgent remedy measures, if needed, declaring the elections void;
- observe Russia’s obligations under its membership in the OSCE and in the Council of
Europe on ensuring free and fair elections in the country;
- form new electoral commissions ensuring that representatives from all of Russia's political parties should have equal participation to cast a vote;
- ensure free and equal conditions for all the political parties and candidates, as well as maximum public control over elections and voting.

www.tsn-news.ru, September 30, 2009

September 29 was the expiration date for submitting documents to the post of the head of the Tula administration. Sergei Filatov, coordinator of the Tula regional branch of YABLOKO and deputy of the Tula City Duma, is one of the candidates for the post.

In his interview to the Tula Information Service agency Filatov told why he had adopted such a decision to run for the head of the city administration.

ELDR Newsletter, September 2009

Yabloko runs in the next Russian elections

Regional and municipal elections will take place in Russia on 11th October. YABLOKO, ELDR member party, will present a list for the Moscow City Duma headed by Sergei Mitrokhin (in the picture), leader of the party and including Eugeni Bunimovich. "Now we are steadily progressing in the election campaign," commented Mitrokhin who also deplored the fact that opposition parties continue to be unfairly treated in terms of a lack of access to the mass media in Russia. Elections to the regional legislative bodies will be held in Moscow, Tula region and Mari El Republic where citizens will elect municipal heads and deputies of local self-governing bodies. Municipal elections will be held in Ingushetia, where voters will for first time vote in such elections ever in this region.
For more information please see http://www.eng.yabloko.ru/Press/2009/0828ingush.html and http://www.eng.yabloko.ru/Elections/regions/moscow-2009.html