Press Release, 20.11.2020

The Saratov branch of Yabloko held a round table and invited to it all the registered political parties of the Saratov region.

Following the meeting, which was attended by representatives of the parties A Just Russia, Parnas, Russian National Union, as well as the all-Russian movement #Changes, a statement was adopted demanding from the regional parliament to revoke the scandalous bill envisaging abolition the mixed system for elections to regional bodies of local self-government.

The participants of the round table decided to make their statement open for signing for all responsible political forces in the region.

Here goes the text of the statement.

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The Saratov Regional Duma is considering a bill “On Amendments to the Law of the Saratov Region “On Elections to Local Self-Government Bodies of the Saratov Region””, which envisages abolishing of amixed system for elections to local self-government bodies.

We, the undersigned, believe that:

• the regional legislator, when deciding issues affecting the rights of voters and political parties, must first organise a broad discussion and consultations with representatives of regional branches of all political parties;
• the adoption of this bill will violate the constitutional principle of legal certainty, which guarantees the participants of constitutionally significant public relations in the formation of local self-government bodies protection from both arbitrary and situational changes in legislation, and from interference of state authorities of the Saratov region in the activities of local self-government bodies – as the electoral legislation is being changed less than a year before the elections;
• the rationale for the need to adopt this draft law, which consists in reduction of dependence of candidates on parties and their leaders, contradicts the constitutional principle of a multiparty system. With such a system, the ability of political parties to influence the political process will be nullyfied, the effectiveness of democracy will decrease, which will ultimately lead to the absence of alternative political forces in the region.
• the actions of the [ruling] United Russia party, which is enjoying increasingly less support in society, look like an attempt to mislead voters by hiding the party affiliation of its candidates in the upcoming elections.

Based on the aforementioned

WE DEMAND THE FOLLOWING:

1. From the Saratov Regional Duma: reject the draft law No. 6-12612 “On Amendments to the Law of the Saratov Region “On Elections to Local Self-Government Bodies of the Saratov Region””
2. From the Central Electoral Commission of the Russian Federation: treat the elections to the Saratov City Duma in 2021 with special attention and principled stand, ensure equal rights and opportunities for all participants in the electoral process, prevent the possible abuse of administrative resources by the executive branch, which is completely controlled by one party.
3. From the leadership of the State Duma of the Russian Federation: initiate the development and promote the adoption of legislative acts restricting the ability of the current composition of representative bodies to change the rules for holding elections that form the composition of a representative body of the next convocation.