BRYANSK – MILLIONS of Russians voted yesterday in local elections in the first major test of the Kremlin’s popularity since the start of an economic crisis and a dip in turnout could point to some voter discontent.
The Kremlin is concerned that rising unemployment and economic hardship will fuel protests and undermine its authority, and opponents have accused the United Russia party, headed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, of using dirty tricks in the campaign.
United Russia officials dismissed the criticism as political opportunism in the vote for some town councils, regional parliaments and mayors which involves about a fifth of all eligible voters.
Russian news agencies reported a drop in voter turnout from completed elections in Russia’s Far East and Siberia. Analysts say that in Russia’s carefully managed political system, lower turnout is one of the easiest ways for voters to show their dissatisfaction.
Just 30 minutes before the polls shut for the mayoral election in the city of Tomsk in Siberia, RIA Novosti reported turnout was around 36 per cent compared to a final tally of 61 per cent in 2004 when the vote had been held alongside a presidential election.
Figures from other towns and regions showed turnout dropping by 10 percentage points, although some areas bucked the trend.
In Bryansk, an industrial region of 1.3 million people near Russia’s border with Belarus and Ukraine, the Communists are mounting a strong challenge for the regional parliament.
At a polling station in the regional capital 380km southwest of Moscow, 70-year-old Kira Alexandrova had come straight from her work as a night janitor in a school to vote for the Communists. “My monthly pension is 4,300 roubles [€95],” she said. “How can I survive on this pittance?”
A senior official at the regional Communist Party said about 60 to 65 per cent of the population supported his party but he said United Russia would try to fix the results.
Golos, an independent monitoring group, said it had seen people handing out pancakes, lottery tickets and small gifts. Russia’s Central Election Committee said it had not seen any serious violations.
At the polling station in Bryansk, Natalya Gudrova, a 45-year-old street cleaner, had voted for United Russia.
“I voted for United Russia because there is stability and because medical services have improved,” she said.
She added the regional governor, a member of United Russia, had previously promised to rehouse her from the old building she lives in where she shares a bathroom with other families.
Neither Mr Putin nor President Dmitry Medvedev are directly involved in the polls. But both are expected to look at the results for a mark of popularity in the face of falling wages and rising unemployment.
Opinion polls show support for Mr Putin and Mr Medvedev has fallen since the financial crisis gripped Russia last October, but analysts expect only a small dip in support at the polls.
The Kremlin created United Russia during Putin’s 2000-2008 term as president to build an election force at local level.
It dominates the national parliament and media, and is expected to retain control of the nine regional parliaments, and the bulk of the town and village councils. (– Reuters)