The politician named the main aspects of the party reform

Press release, 15.12.2018

The aim of the Yabloko party is to enter the parliament in 2021 – this what Emilia Slabunova, Yabloko Chair, has stated at the Federal Council meeting earlier today. Representatives of the 77 party branches gathered in Moscow to discuss the reform of the party that is taking place now.

“The situation is changing. It is crucial that our party does not miss some important opportunities. The social well-being is in decline now, this is why the demand for changes has increased. Our aim is to enter the parliament in 2021”.

In order to do so the party need to improve its organisational, informational and technological potential – to “build political muscles”. The politician believes that a reform of the party will help to achieve this goal.

Yabloko will use federal election campaigns to familiarise the audience with Yabloko’s ideas that represent an alternative to the current policy of the government. The party has already launched a campaign “Time to Return Home” to Russia’s participation in military adventures and “The New Budget Policy” calling for making the social sphere a priority. The party plans to launch a campaign for separate waste collection and recycling, a campaign for eliminating the second and third shifts at schools, an anti-military campaign and continue
The New Budget Policy” campaign.

The campaign will take place in all the regions where Yabloko has branches taking the specific features of the region into account.

“We need to involve a large number of experts in this work. It is time we establish an Expert Council of the party,” Yabloko Chair said.

Yabloko’s Centre For Anti-Corruption Policies will continue investigating corruption cases that involve high-ranking officials. What is more, the Centre will develop anti-corruption teaching techniques and use them to educate the supporters of the party. In March 2019 the Centre will launch some internship opportunities for civil activists and municipal deputies. In 2019 the Centre will open three new regional branches to carry out more independent investigations, analyse regional budget funds and monitor the work of the officials.

The Centre for Municipal Policies will continue functioning. Yabloko has 297 mandates in representative bodes, therefore the aim of the Centre is to develop new municipal policies and bring it to life with the help of municipal deputies.

Yabloko will establish a Centre for Gender Policies to promote gender equality. Yabloko will also open a Centre for Legislative Initiatives to develop a reform of the legislative system in Russia. The party also plans to open a Centre for Environmental Policies.

According to Emilia Slabunova, communications play a key role in the future of any social institute in the information-oriented society. Communications are a key success factor for a political party that deals with people’s view of the world, their values.

This is why creating a comprehensive and diversified communication system with the voters and party members is one of the main aspects of the reform of the party.

Another important goal is to improve the structure of the party.

“We must develop the structure of the party in every region so that we can reach out to at least 60 per cent of voters in every region. Ideally we need to reach out to every voter,” the politician explained.

Yabloko will manage to succeed in the parliamentary election in 2021 only thanks to successful campaigns in previous years. This is why the regional branches of the party should work hard during the forthcoming regional election campaigns, including the campaign to the Moscow City Duma and the municipal election campaign in St. Petersburg.

According to Emilia Slabunova, the main aim of the recruitment policy is to form a new generation of politicians who would be able to promote the ideas of the party in the current political environment that lacks equality. These politicians should be ready to bear responsibility for a free and democratic future for Russia.

“Together with our regional branches with are forming a team that would be able to participate in the political life at the regional and federal levels. We are developing and education programme for them,” Slabunova noted.

Yabloko Chair named the principles set forth in the reform of the party.

“Our party should be open, competitive, it should be able to accept new people quickly and without conflicts, it should go with the time,” she stressed.

Grigory Yavlinsky, Chair of Yabloko Federal Political Committee, and other party leaders also had the floor at the Federal Council meeting.