Putin’s Party Set to Win 450-Seat Duma as Russians Vote in Election With No Real Opposition
Russians are voting in a three-day parliamentary election that began Friday, with President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party expected to keep its grip on the State Duma for a fourth consecutive term.
Russia is holding parliamentary elections from September 18 to 20 to elect a new State Duma, the lower house of parliament [244014][244077]. The vote is the first such election since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in 2022 [244014]. President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party is widely expected to win and maintain its grip on parliament, which it has held for 23 years [244077].
The election has no meaningful competition. A liberal anti-war party was barred from the ballot, and the remaining parties are nominal opposition groups that reliably vote with the Kremlin on important issues [244077]. The State Duma approves laws but holds little power against the president [244014].
Despite the controlled nature of the vote, the Kremlin’s efforts to manage the election reveal growing anxiety about the public mood and a war that is failing [240511]. Fuel shortages, drone strikes, and rumors of a new mobilization are deepening public anxiety across Russia, and war fatigue is spreading [244021]. Support for peace talks is growing among ordinary Russians, a shift the Kremlin is watching closely [244021].
In parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk region controlled by Russia, early voting has begun with armed personnel accompanying election officials and voters [242075].