We could have never expected that Sobyanin would make mayoral elections so fake
Statement by the Moscow branch of Yabloko, 7.09.2018
On September 9, the government is holding the so called mayoral elections. The peculiarity of this election the incumbent mayor and the main candidate Sergei Sobyanin have chosen his opponents himself: thanks to him they received signatures of municipal deputies [to pass the municipal filter] and were registered as candidates. Candidates that fell out of favour [with the authorities] are not on the ballot paper. 
The Russian United Democratic Party Yabloko believes the municipal filter is an administrative barrier for opposition candidates which is impossible to pass. It makes the elections unfair and uncompetitive – only people who the authorities do not consider serious rivals are allowed to participate. As a result, elections were turned into an administrative procedure of reappointing the incumbent mayor and the result is known beforehand. Yabloko notes that it is impossible to acknowledge this procedure legitimate.
We insist that the municipal filter should not be used for gubernatorial elections. Elections without choice must never take place. New elections must be held after the legislation is changed giving all candidate equal opportunities.
Yabloko suggests that party supported make their own decision on voting on 9 September.
Moscow, which some say looks more beautiful now, is the display of Putin’s Potemkin village. There can be no comparison between financing of Russia’s regions and Moscow. For example, the budget of Omsk is 17.8 billion roubles. Moscow’s budget is 130 times bigger and makes 2326.5 billion roubles. Moscow is only time times more populated than Omsk.
At the same time, Moscow is the leading Russian city in terms of social injustice.
In situation like this the government is trying to make elections look more legitimate after restoring all competition. All resources are being used to increase the voter turnout (new polling stations, pressure on state employees, etc.). The apotheosis of this campaign is Sobyanin’s call upon those who disapprove of his policy to come and spoil the ballot.
We could have never expected that Sobyanin would make mayoral elections so fake.
Posted: September 8th, 2018 under Elections, Moscow Mayoral Election 2018.