United Russia, the pro-Kremlin political party, has secured a victory in the closely monitored parliamentary elections for the State Duma, according to exit poll results released on Sunday by the Russian state-run Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM).
The exit polls indicate that United Russia garnered approximately 49.4% of the votes, a result consistent with their performance in the 2021 elections.
The Communist Party received 14.2% of the votes, while the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) achieved a score of 10.7%.
Since 2003, United Russia has won every round of parliamentary elections, as reported by Euronews.
Voting took place from Friday to Sunday, enabling Russians to elect the 450 deputies of the State Duma, as well as regional legislators and governors in 11 regions.
However, experts cited by the independent publication The Moscow Times note that citizens in Russia have significantly limited voting options, as the electoral programs of the main parties are largely similar and predominantly support Kremlin policies.
Council of Europe Denounces Russian Elections
On Friday, the Platform for Dialogue with Russian Democratic Forces of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) stated that the Russian parliamentary elections appear to be a “mock election that will produce an artificial parliament” not to be recognized by the international community.
Also on Friday, Christian Wigand, a spokesperson for the European Commission, criticized the “systematic and institutionalized repression” surrounding the legislative elections in Russia.
For Russian expatriates voting in the countries they have relocated to, sentiments were mixed, characterized by both resignation and optimism.
Former Russian deputy Boris Nadezhdin, unable to run against Vladimir Putin in the 2024 elections, emphasized the importance of voting “even in these distorted elections,” in an interview with HotNews.
“It is important to participate in elections, even in these distorted elections in Russia,” stated Nadezhdin, who is currently in exile in France.
