Putin’s United Russia party voted to power

President Vladimir Putin’s party won a landslide victory in a parliamentary election...

President Vladimir Putin’s party won a landslide victory in a parliamentary election, official results showed on Monday, giving him a mandate to shape Russia’s political landscape after his second term ends next year.

But opposition parties and independent election monitors cried foul. They said biased media coverage during the campaign, overt Government support for Putin’s United Russia party and numerous irregularities during voting had skewed the outcome.

The Central Electoral Commission said that with almost all votes counted, United Russia had won 64.1 per cent of votes, nearly six times as many as the nearest challenger, the Communist party. Two smaller pro-Kremlin groupings took another 16 per cent of the vote and pro-Western parties won no seats.

Story continues below this ad

The Kremlin hailed the vote as a strong personal endorsement for Putin, who campaigned vigorously for United Russia. Financial market analysts said the result would bolster stability and encourage investment.

“Russian voters spoke in favor of United Russia, thus supporting President Putin’s course, and spoke in favour of it being continued after the current President’s second term ends,” said Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman.

What Putin will do after his second term ends next May is unclear. Some observers say he could seek a third term as President, although he has said he will not change the Constitution to pave the way for this.

Projections by the Electoral Commission showed pro-Kremlin parties would win about 393 of the 450 seats in the next State Duma. That would be more than enough to allow them to change the Constitution if they wished.

Story continues below this ad

Opinion polls show Putin is extremely popular after eight years of oil-fuelled economic growth. Voters credit him with restoring stability and national pride and like his tough nationalism and criticism of the West.

The Communists, who won 11.6 per cent of votes, said they would challenge the result in the courts. The United States urged Russia to investigate the numerous reports of vote-rigging.

In Chechnya, a region in the North Caucasus which faces a separatist insurgency and is run by pro-Kremlin Ramzan Kadyrov, officials said a partial count showed United Russia had won 99.3 per cent of the votes on a 99 per cent turnout.