Gerichtsprozess: Russland-Wahl: Oppositionspartei kämpft gegen Ausschluss

The Russian liberal opposition party Jabloko challenged its threatened exclusion from the September parliamentary election before the Supreme Court in Moscow. Jabloko's leader Nikolai Rybakow said millions of Russians would give their vote to his party, which criticizes the Ukrainian aggression war. "Political competition is the essence of elections," he emphasized.

The lawsuit filed by the Kremlin loyalist party Rodina to exclude Jabloko from the Duma election aimed to give people a free choice. The trial, chaired by Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov, is being broadcast live on the internet. The exact time of the verdict is unclear. Hundreds of people lined up outside the court building in Moscow to get into the hall, which can only accommodate 150 people.

The party published a video showing the crowd. The court room is only designed for 150 people, the party reported, which also published a video of the influx. Rybakow spoke about a "historic trial" as no previously authorized party has been excluded from an election since. The Central Election Commission had unanimously approved Jabloko's participation in the election in July.

The Kremlin loyalist party Rodina accused Jabloko of violating copyright in their election campaign materials, such as representations of peace doves, and spending too much money on election advertising on the internet. Jabloko's lawyers disputed the points in the 40-page lawsuit. Jabloko wants to run in the election under the slogan "For Peace and Freedom" and promises a "life without fear" in the face of political repression in the country.

Rybakow criticized that Rodina presented no evidence for its accusations, but formulated inventions and absurd thoughts. "The plaintiff confuses the courtroom with a TV talk show, where loud slogans, labels like extremism, and subjective associations take the place of the law," Rybakow said about the accusations. Jabloko is an "exclusively peaceful, civilized, legitimate political organization."

A Kremlin critic was called an enemy by Rodina representative at the trial. The Rodina representative criticized Jabloko's 43-word election program, which allegedly contradicts the war objectives by demanding a ceasefire in the Ukrainian war. Other pro-Kremlin parties also demanded exclusion from voting in September. Several Duma deputies who support the Russian aggression war in Ukraine insulted Jabloko members as traitors and agents of the West.

They particularly criticized the fact that no war participant is on Jabloko's electoral list. Jabloko's last surge in support was due to the party having gained significant support after being approved for the election, and the Kremlin risking a possible victory if the party spread their votes among several parties. Experts believe that Jabloko could have been allowed to participate in the election initially to drain votes from the opposition party Nowyje Ljudi and pulverize pro-war votes if they spread out.

The smallest of the five parties in the Duma, Nowyje Ljudi, had a slight advantage in recent polls after their criticism of Jabloko's exclusion. The Kremlin deputy party with its strong war supporters was sinking, while Jabloko's rise was welcomed by political observers. The politologist Kirill Rogow believed that the Kremlin initially allowed Jabloko's participation to remove votes from Nowyje Ljudi and pulp pro-war votes if they spread out.

The smallest among the five parties in the Duma, Nowyje Ljudi, slightly led in the polls after their criticism of Jabloko's exclusion. The Kremlin deputy party was criticized, but remained a marginal party without political weight.