Die Lage im Überblick: Wahl-Ausschluss: Russische Oppositionspartei will kämpfen

Following the court's ruling on the exclusion of the liberal opposition party Jabloko from the Russian parliamentary election, the party remains committed to fighting for their participation. Nikolai Rybakow, the leader of Jabloko, expressed his disagreement with the decision, stating that the party would appeal the ruling. Rybakow acknowledged the support from hundreds of people who came to the court in their defense and emphasized that the fight was far from over.

The Russian Supreme Court had previously excluded Jabloko from the September parliamentary election, citing violations of Russian laws by the party. The judgment was made by Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov, who had previously banned the human rights organization Memorial. The exclusion decision was challenged by the pro-Kremlin nationalist party Rodina, which accused Jabloko of numerous legal infractions during their registration.

Tatjana Stanowaja, a political scientist, noted that the exclusion of Jabloko from the election was foreseeable and that it was not an attempt by the Kremlin to correct a mistake. Instead, it focused on the support Jabloko received from the exiled opposition. Stanowaja argued that the risk of the election campaign turning into a debate on war or peace was high, which the central election commission had initially approved for Jabloko.

The party now seeks to promote peace and freedom with the slogan "For Peace and Freedom" and "Life without Fear."

According to polls, a majority of Russians express their desire for an end to the nearly four-and-a-half-year war against Ukraine. Many opposition figures in exile, such as Julia Nawalnaja, called for Russians to vote for Jabloko during the election. Nawalnaja emphasized that the exclusion of Jabloko from the election was a sign of the Kremlin's fear of war opponents.

She stated that the issue was not only about the Jabloko party, which calls for a ceasefire and peace negotiations in the Russian war, but also about giving millions of Russians the opportunity to express their true opinions about Putin and the war.