Political technologies return to the regions
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Loading... - Gregory Jones
- 15 Jul 2022
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In the three regions where gubernatorial elections are minimally competitive—in Karelia, Udmurtia, and Sverdlovsk Oblast—the authorities no longer seem to hope to retain their referendum character. And we have to bring political technologies back to life, and gray ones at that. For example, in Karelia there will be “voting on stumps”, and also a two-week delay. In Udmurtia, the topic of an alleged split in the regional department of the Communist Party is being blown up. In the Sverdlovsk region, provocative billboards were hung out, including those with the name of a communist candidate. It would seem that this once again emphasizes the uncertainty of the authorities in victory, but experts recalled that the image of elections always fades into the background when it is necessary to get a result, and most importantly, it is possible at any cost.
At the elections of the head of Karelia and municipal elections combined with them, additional forms of voting will be used. By decision of the electoral committee, a list of 79 polling stations in 13 hard-to-reach areas has already been agreed, including the island of Valaam. Not later than August 28, the dates, times and addresses of this notorious "vote on stumps" will be determined, which, by the way, will be held on September 8 and 9. Recall that also in Karelia this year it was decided to use a three-day format. But besides it, early voting is introduced - for voters who are located in places that are significantly remote from the polling station, with transport links with which, moreover, are absent or difficult. This format will be used from August 23 to September 7.
Thus, the authorities will be able to mobilize a loyal electorate for more than a half month. It should be reminded that as many as 13 people have been declared candidates for the election of the head of Karelia. It is clear that not everyone will reach the start of the campaign, but the technology of blurring votes is evident. This is one of the oldest political techniques, which is now far from being found in every region. Thus, the head of Karelia, Artur Parfenchikov, seems to feel completely insecure, since he is insured as much as possible.
However, the other two regions also distinguished themselves, where the elections still look like a competition, and not a referendum on confidence in the incumbent governor or the newly appointed acting president. For example, in Udmurtia, where there have just been scandals with pressure on the municipal deputies of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (see "NG" dated 07/07/22), so that they would not sign for the candidate of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Alexander Syrov, they allegedly led to a split within the party itself. At least the pro-government media are retelling with might and main the story of how the second secretary of the Sarapul district committee, Artem Krasnoperov, sent an official appeal to the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov with a complaint about the nomination of Syrov, which, they say, passed with violations, namely, “behind the scenes, without wide publicity, without discussions at conferences and plenums of committees of local branches of the Party. In his letter, the communist dissident also touched upon the story of the municipal filter: “A blatant decision was made, restricting the fundamental rights and freedoms of a citizen of the Russian Federation, on the obligatory return of a signature by municipal deputies from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation in support of Syrov under the threat of expulsion from the party and deprivation of a deputy mandate.” According to the complainant.
As Yury Afonin, First Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, explained to NG, a difficult campaign is really going on in Udmurtia - one of the most difficult in the country. But Syrov was approved not only by the local conference, but also by the personnel commission of the Central Committee, headed by Secretary Nikolai Sapozhnikov, who himself comes from Udmurtia. In general, at the federal level, Syrov’s candidacy was studied and considered strong, all the more so he overtook his competitor from the United Russia, Andrey Isaev, in the 2021 State Duma elections in urban districts, although he eventually lost the mandate only at the expense of rural districts. “Therefore, the candidacy has been approved at all levels, and the principle of the work of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is democratic centralism, the decision of the party must be implemented at all levels. What kind of letter it is, we will, of course, look into it, draw our own conclusions and take action. The audit will be carried out by the Audit Commission. Read More…
