- Title: RUSSIA: Putin's United Russia set for a big election win
- Date: 28th November 2007
- Summary: YOUNG WOMAN, MEMBER OF YOUTH WING OF UNITED RUSSIA GIVING OUT PLASTIC BAGS WITH UNITED RUSSIA EMBLEM
- Embargoed: 13th December 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA8CEARUZD81XD8UP0H2C56PXRR
- Story Text: Latest opinion polls predict President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party is set to win 60.1 percent of the vote in next Sunday's (December 2) parliamentary elections, with nearest rivals the Communist Party at 7.5 percent. United Russia has enjoyed access to a vast array of resources across the country during the campaign for the lower house of parliament (State Duma), dwarfing those available to other parties. In Yaroslavl, a city 350 kilometres (220 miles) north of Moscow, regional representatives of United Russia teamed up with local Internet companies last weekend and organised an "Internet Days" event. Hundreds of teenagers enjoyed free Internet access, and computer games, as United Russia activists handed out promotional material, with the party's campaign banners draped from all corners of the hall. A poll earlier this month showed 66 percent of people aged between 18 and 24 believed Putin was taking Russia in the right direction, most said they would vote in Sunday's election and 79 percent would vote for United Russia. The 18-to-24 age group was more positive towards Putin and his policies than any other group. Putin is running in the parliamentary election on Sunday as No. 1 on the election slate of United Russia. The Russian president has said a big endorsement from voters in the parliamentary election will give him a mandate to retain influence over policy even after his term ends. One of United Russia's campaign slogans hails: "Putin's plan: Victory for Russia". But when asked about the details of "Putin's plans" party officials seem vague. "Our election campaign and election platform are based on the aim that we will eventually fulfill Putin's plan. We have compiled Putin's plan based on the content of the president's eight addresses to the Federation Council assembly," said Nikolai Tonkov, head of the Yaroslavl branch of United Russia. Putin's endorsement of United Russia has severely dented support for its nearest rivals. The latest opinion poll this week gave the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) led by firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovsky seven percent support: right on the threshold needed to qualify for seats in parliament. Not even the recruitment of Andrei Lugovoy -- a hero to nationalists since Britain said it wanted to try him for the murder of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko -- to the party's list of candidates has revived its flagging fortunes. The party that for a decade has entertained Russians with its brand of anti-Western nationalism is expected to struggle in this Sunday's parliamentary election. And the reason: President Vladimir Putin has, election analysts say, stole its clothes. The problem for the LDPR appears to be that voters no longer need to turn to it for pithy nationalist rhetoric when they can get the same from their president. But during a two-day campaign swing through Yaroslavl, Zhirinovsky tried to sound upbeat about his party's chances next Sunday, even though he looked glum as he spoke of voter turnout and percentages. "We received 23 percent of the votes here (in the Yaroslavl region) in the past, and now we will wait and hope that our supporters will come back to us. Fourteen years have gone by since then (when LDPR took 23 perecent of the vote) and people voted for other parties. Now they are coming back to us, so we expect to get around 20 percent, and not less," said Zhirinosvky as he travelled aboard a train to his next campaign stop. Putin is credited with restoring order to Russia after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, when a group of tycoons known as oligarchs bought up state industries at knock-down prices, inflation soared and the country was rocked by gangland killings. Under Putin, Russia has stabilised, shops from Moscow to Vladivostok are full of the latest Western products and national pride has swollen. But Russia's Communists maintain that the country's new wealth supported by booming oil revenues is only benefiting a new elite, represented by United Russia, and backed by the Kremlin. "Of course it (the election campaign) is not fair. They (United Russia) use the administrative resources which are tens of thousands of times bigger than what we have, and our volunteers can do. At the local machinery factory, the biggest factory in Yaroslavl, they have a thousand people - from shift leaders to the bosses, and have been brainwashing them on how to win over the workers," said Alexander Vorobyov, local head of the Communist party in Yaroslavl. Russia's Communists are expected to form the main opposition to United Russia in parliament, but the party has failed to widen its appeal since the collapse of the Soviet Union. "I am for the Communists, because we lived better before, than we do now. Now we are poor. Before my pension was 132 rubles, and I could live on it, and save something too; now I cannot survive on my pension," said Valentina Yasina, a pensioner in Yaroslavl. During the Soviet era, the official exchange rate equalled about one ruble to one U.S. dollar. Most of the voters in the city appeared to back Putin, and therefore United Russia. One of Russia's election monitoring groups said the Russian president's backing of United Russia had inevitably influenced many voters, who in other circumstances may have opted to stay away from the Dec. 2 polls. "People who may have not wanted to vote (in the duma elections), then said "yes, we might go and vote for Putin" when they heard Putin's name (go on the United Russia list). So, of course this will increase the turnout," said Ksenia Maltseva, a local representative of the non-govermental organisation "Golos" (Voice), that monitors elections and campaigns for voters' rights. The small town of Tutayev, is 35km north of Yaroslavl. Many of its 30,000 residents still live in traditional wooden houses, and many homes do not have running water or supply of gas. The State Duma election campaign may seem like a world away. But even here, it is Putin that is seen as the man best placed to steer a course for Russia. One of thriving businesses in Tutayev is the local bell factory, set up by three brothers at the start of Putin's first term as president. It employs some 20 people making Orthodox church bells. "United Russia is already in power, so why should we change that? We used to have a tsar, and now we have United Russia. If we had a tsar and we had him for all time, then we would go and support him. And we have had Putin already for two terms, so if he decides to stay for a third one, I don't mind. With him there is some sort of stability," said Vassily Byreev, a bell-maker. Putin has ruled out changing the constitution to allow himself a third term. He has indicated he is committed to stepping down next year after making sure his successor follows his policies
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