Kremlin Tightens Control Ahead of Duma Elections to Ensure Unity
· World · Al Jazeera, New York Times
The Kremlin has intensified its efforts to remove political opposition ahead of the upcoming Duma elections by arresting or disqualifying candidates from parties like the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. In August, the Supreme Court revoked the registration of Yabloko, the only officially registered party that openly opposes the war in Ukraine and adheres to democratic principles. This move followed a surge in public interest for the party, evidenced by a fivefold increase in Yandex search queries for Yabloko compared to the governing United Russia party. The government aims to eliminate any potential for a protest vote to ensure the election results demonstrate full national support for President Vladimir Putin. These actions follow the previous exclusion of prominent critics such as the late Alexey Navalny.
Why it matters
The systematic removal of all opposition parties ensures that the Russian legislature remains entirely aligned with the Kremlin, effectively silencing any public dissent regarding the war in Ukraine.
Read the original report — Al Jazeera
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