Electoral theatre
Russia’s election fools nobody, which is rather the point. It also hands Putin a stick with which to beat a Ukraine that cannot vote at all. Oh the suspense. Russia will hold a parliamentary election in less than a month’s time, but the only political party in the country that openly opposes Moscow’s war on […] Electoral theatre was originally published on Emerging Europe .
Russia is set to hold a parliamentary election in less than a month, but only one political party openly opposes the country's war on Ukraine, Yabloko, will not participate. Yabloko was removed from the September vote by Russia's Supreme Court earlier this month, and its deputy leader, Lev Shlosberg, received an 11-year prison sentence for advocating a ceasefire.
This clearly demonstrates the lack of a free, fair, and democratic election in Russia. United Russia, closely associated with Vladimir Putin, is expected to win a clear victory, along with the Communists, Liberal Democrats, and conservative Just Russia parties. However, the choices are limited, and turnout will likely be more revealing than the results themselves.
The purpose of holding such elections in Russia is to manage potential opponents, reward loyal supporters, and gauge the effectiveness of Putin's officials. Other countries, like North Korea, also hold uncompetitive elections, where the ruling party wins all seats with a 99% turnout. Electoral authoritarianism is the term used to describe these farces, where elections are held not to decide the government but to manage potential obstacles for those in power.
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