- Title: RUSSIA: Western observers criticise Russian election
- Date: 3rd March 2008
- Summary: (BN09) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (MARCH 3, 2008) (REUTERS ACCESS ALL): NEWS CONFERENCE BY PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE (PACE)
- Embargoed: 18th March 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA7I4OSEM731X0N4AOC7LAHPLU6
- Story Text: Western observers say the presidential elections were flawed, raising questions about democracy in Russia.
Western observers criticised Russia's weekend presidential election on Monday (March 3), saying it was not fully fair or democratic, but said its outcome broadly reflected the will of the people.
President Vladimir Putin's hand-picked candidate, Dmitry Medvedev, won the ballot by a landslide on Sunday (March 2). Russia's liberals criticised the election as a farce, saying it was stage-managed by the Kremlin from the outset.
"The results of the Presidential elections held on 2nd of March 2008 in the Russian Federation are a reflection of the will of an electorate whose democratic potential was, unfortunately, not tapped," said Andreas Gross, head of a monitoring group from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
He told reporters the outcome of the election amounted to a vote of confidence in the incumbent president, adding most of the flaws seen in Russia's parliamentary election last December were repeated.
"Equal access of the candidates to the media and the public sphere in general has not improved, putting into question the fairness of the election," added Gross.
Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) refused to monitor Sunday's election, citing a lack of official cooperation. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None