Press release, 12.10.2018

Emilia Slabunova, Yabloko Chair and an MP in the Legislative Assembly of Karelia, introduced a bill on the repeal of the municipal filter in the gubernatorial elections.

“Year after year elections become more and more shameful. The developments of autumn 2018 is another proof. The quality of governors’ work and the state of affairs in the regions pose a threat to the governance system and the security of our country. Our political system is in crisis which resulted in an economic crisis, poverty, social inequality and foreign policy failure. We have lost momentum. One of the latest examples is the space industry failure.

Free completion can cure our political system. The first step is to repeal the municipal filter so that governors could participate in completive elections.

The procedure of collecting signatures of municipal deputies [in order to be registered as candidates] limits the number of candidates and prevents candidates [who are out of favour with the authorities] from participating in the election,” the politician said.

According to Yabloko, the municipal filter makes elections less competitive. This is one of the reasons why voters lose trust in elections.

Emilia Slabunova has already introduced the initiative in March 2017. However, the Legislative Assemble voted against it. The politician also proposed the measure for consideration of the Central Electoral Commission.

In summer 2017 Emilia Slabunova appealed to Prosecutor General’s Office and the Investigative Committee demanding that they investigate the cases of putting administrative pressure on party gubernatorial candidates. This pressure prevented Yabloko’s candidates in Sverdlovsk, Novgorod and Yaroslavl Regions from passing the municipal filter.