Putin's party sweeps to victory
Source: Agencies |
March 15, 2011, Tuesday
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RUSSIA'S ruling party has swept local elections seen as a dress rehearsal for the forthcoming parliamentary and presidential votes, but its performance has been weaker than in the past, according to early returns released yesterday.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party emerged as the top vote-getter in all 12 regions where elections to local legislatures were held on Sunday, but it received less than half of the ballots in seven of them.
Putin said the results were "more than satisfactory" and insisted that the vote showed people's trust in the government. "That means that people, even though many of them are tired and feel pressure, continue to positively assess the government's actions and express hope by this vote that the situation will change," he said.
United Russia also won elections to city legislatures which were held in 10 -provincial capitals.
Putin, who served as president in 2000-2008, is widely believed to try and reclaim the post in next year's presidential vote after Dmitry Medvedev's four-year presidential term ends.
United Russia, which has most top government officials among its members, has dominated the federal parliament and holds the majority of seats in most regional legislatures across the country.
The party won a combined total of 68 percent of seats in regional legislatures. However, that was weaker than in the previous round of regional elections last October, when it won 76 percent.
Some observers said that the party's mixed showing in some regions reflected growing public disillusionment. Dmitry Oreshkin, an independent political expert, said Sunday's vote made it unlikely that United Russia could win the majority of vote in December elections to the national parliament.
Putin said yesterday he hasn't decided yet whether to put his name on United Russia's list for that vote.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party emerged as the top vote-getter in all 12 regions where elections to local legislatures were held on Sunday, but it received less than half of the ballots in seven of them.
Putin said the results were "more than satisfactory" and insisted that the vote showed people's trust in the government. "That means that people, even though many of them are tired and feel pressure, continue to positively assess the government's actions and express hope by this vote that the situation will change," he said.
United Russia also won elections to city legislatures which were held in 10 -provincial capitals.
Putin, who served as president in 2000-2008, is widely believed to try and reclaim the post in next year's presidential vote after Dmitry Medvedev's four-year presidential term ends.
United Russia, which has most top government officials among its members, has dominated the federal parliament and holds the majority of seats in most regional legislatures across the country.
The party won a combined total of 68 percent of seats in regional legislatures. However, that was weaker than in the previous round of regional elections last October, when it won 76 percent.
Some observers said that the party's mixed showing in some regions reflected growing public disillusionment. Dmitry Oreshkin, an independent political expert, said Sunday's vote made it unlikely that United Russia could win the majority of vote in December elections to the national parliament.
Putin said yesterday he hasn't decided yet whether to put his name on United Russia's list for that vote.
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