Pamfilova’s Draw
Andrey Pertsev sums up the political week (3−7 August)
On the day of the lottery for State Duma ballot places, Vladimir Putin met with Central Election Commission chair Ella Pamfilova. United Russia secured the top position, followed by Yabloko, the LDPR, the CPRF, A Just Russia, and New People. This marks the first occasion United Russia has drawn the first spot in a federal election, despite their consistent success in regional races.
Experts argue that such outcomes defy probability laws, with the first position potentially garnering an additional 1-2% of the vote. Political technologists believe that the first-place advantage, usually reserved for regional campaigns, could provoke scandal at the federal level. Recognizing this, Ella Pamfilova emphasized that it was the first time for United Russia, citing the CPRF's history of drawing the first ball twice in a row.
Alexander Karelin, a popular wrestler, was deemed responsible for United Russia's success, aiming to quell suspicions. Pamfilova, as an ally of the Kremlin's political bloc, ensured Putin's support for holding the election as planned. The Kremlin's political and information blocs, aware of Putin's sensitivity to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's "illegitimacy," orchestrated the election to showcase Russia's superiority over Ukraine.
United Russia candidates, such as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, gave pre-election interviews, with Sobyanin emphasizing the benefits of a war economy and the continued support of the "big capital brother" for regions in crisis.
Written by urgent.news from Riddle Russia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
