Russia Begins First Parliament Vote Since War
Russia has begun a three-day parliamentary election, the first since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with all 450 State Duma seats up for election.
Russia began voting on Friday in a three-day parliamentary election to determine all 450 seats in the State Duma, the lower house of parliament. The September 18–20 vote is the first Russian parliamentary election since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Half of the 450 seats will be decided through a nationwide party-list vote, while the remaining 225 seats will be contested in single-member constituencies. Electronic voting is also available in the election.
The election is taking place amid the continuing war in Ukraine and heightened security concerns in several Russian regions. Voting is also scheduled in areas of Ukraine that Russia controls and claims to have incorporated, a process that has drawn international scrutiny.
The political environment has remained tightly controlled. Reuters reported that most anti-war candidates have been excluded from the ballot, while Russia's Supreme Court barred the Yabloko party from participating. Other parties contesting the election include United Russia, the Communist Party, A Just Russia, the Liberal Democratic Party and New People.
President Vladimir Putin has urged Russians to participate, describing the election as an indicator of public support for the country's direction during the war. United Russia currently holds a dominant position in the 450-member State Duma.
The election is being closely watched for voter participation, the composition of the next State Duma and public sentiment amid the ongoing conflict and economic pressures.