Dmitry Gudkov, Vladimir Ryzhkov, Dmitry Nekrasov and Yulia Galyamina plan to run for the State Duma in single-mandate constituencies from the YABLOKO party

Press Release, 24.03.2016

This week YABLOKO leaders met potential candidates for single-mandate constituencies who are not members of the YABLOKO party: Dmitry Gudkov, State Duma deputy, Vladimir Ryzhkov, ex Co-Chairman of PARNAS, Dmitry Nekrasov, expert of the Committee of Civil Initiatives, and Yulia Galyamina, one of the leaders of The Party of 5 December.

They all submitted applications to YABLOKO where they informed of the support of YABLOKO’s Memorandum of the Political Alternative, as well as their consent to implement the organizational programme of the campaign. The final decision on their nomination will be adopted by YABLOKO’s Congress in June. The candidates stated that their key political goal of participation in the election campaigns of 2016 and 2018 was creation of a democratic alternative to Putin’s authoritarian regime in Russia and change of power in the country legally through constitutional means. They indicated their intention to pursue these objectives by supporting candidates from the YABLOKO party and its allies in the coalition in the elections on all levels, including support for the candidacy of Grigory Yavlinsky in the presidential elections of 2018.

Video: Vladimir Ryzhkov explains why Grigory Yavlinsky should be the main opposition candidate in the presidential election of 2018

The application consists of two parts: Memorandum of the Political Alternative and the organisational programme of the campaign, which includes the election campaign and work in the State Duma.

Memorandum of the Political Alternative consists of ten items. It includes recognition of the European vector of development the only way for Russia. The document also runs that Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy contradicts to Russia’s national interests. Russia should recognise Ukraine’s sovereignty within the borders of 2013. The Memorandum calls Crimea’s accession to Russia annexation. The document also refers to the need to separate business and government, that merged in Russia due to erroneous policies of 1990s – 2000s, and mandatory investigation of all the facts of corruption in state agencies, state-owned companies and state corporations. Russia needs to transfer from a resource-based to a high-tech economy, give up militarisation by means of cutting expenditures on education, health care and culture. The candidates undertake to campaign for YABLOKO, refrain from public criticism of the party and its candidates, as well as regularly and fully report on financing of their campaigns.

The signatories of the statements also undertake to refrain from cooperation (including obtaining of financing from) with individuals and organisations that may bring political damage to YABLOKO.

Video: Dmitry Gudkov on the need to participate in the elections and the importance of the opposition faction in the State Duma

On their election to the State Duma the candidates must join the YABLOKO faction there and be guided by the provisions of the party programme in their activities. Negotiations with a number of other prominent politicians and public figures – the potential coalition partners – are going on.