Monitors criticise Russian poll

[[R_H]]

BBC

The only Western observer group monitoring Russia's presidential election says the poll was flawed.

Dmitry Medvedev, President Vladimir Putin's chosen successor, won a landslide victory on Sunday.

But observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said Russia's "democratic potential" was unfulfilled.

The European Commission, France and Germany have congratulated Mr Medvedev, voicing hope that ties will improve.

Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said he was confident that the EU-Russia "strategic partnership" would develop.

A spokesman for the German chancellor said Angela Merkel "wishes Mr Medvedev good luck and success". But he also said that in the campaign "democratic rules were not always upheld".

Mr Medvedev's opponents say the poll was marred by violations, including coercion to vote - a charge denied by Moscow.

With nearly 100% of the ballots counted, Mr Medvedev won 70.23% of the vote, Russia's election commission said.

Mr Medvedev said he hoped to work in an "effective tandem" with Mr Putin as his prime minister.

Mr Medvedev's nearest rival was Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, with 17.76% of the vote. He vowed to go to court over alleged fraud, Itar-Tass news agency reports.

Russian poll observers said many state sector workers had been told by their bosses to vote.

Various inducements were also offered to mobilise voters, including cheap food, free cinema tickets or toys, correspondents say.

Turnout was high, at 69.65%, the Russian election commission said.

"The results of the presidential election are a reflection of the will of an electorate whose democratic potential was, unfortunately, not tapped," the PACE 22-member observer mission said.

"In the elections, which had more the character of a plebiscite on the last eight years in this country, the people of Russia voted for the stability and continuity associated with the incumbent President [Putin] and the candidate promoted by him.

"The president-elect will have a solid mandate given to him by the majority of Russians," the statement said.

Mr Putin was barred by the constitution from seeking a third consecutive term but is expected to become prime minister after his United Russia party won a huge majority in December's parliamentary election.

The PACE monitors said Sunday's election "repeated most of the flaws" of December's vote.

"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," the PACE observers said.

Last month, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the continent's main election watchdog, decided to boycott the presidential election because of Moscow's restrictions.

Only 300 international observers were monitoring the 96,000 polling stations on Sunday.

'Triumph of majority'

After the polls, Mr Medvedev said his policies would be "a direct continuation of that path which is being carried out by President Putin".

He said he would control foreign policy and make the defence of Russian interests his chief priority.

Mr Medvedev also confirmed that Mr Putin would be moving out of the Kremlin.

He said "the place of the prime minister and the government is the White House", referring to the government building a few miles from the Kremlin.

The mainly pro-Kremlin media have welcomed Mr Medvedev's victory.

Izvestia newspaper said the vote was a "triumph of the majority" that created a "bridge to the future for Russia".[/qoute]

According to the Central Election Commission, Medvedeve (United Russia) won 70.2% of the votes, Zyuganov (Communist Party) 17.8%, Zhirinovsky (Liberal Democratic Party) 9.4% and Bogandov (Democratic Party) 9.3%
(graph at the bottom of the article).

[K. A. Pital]

*yawn*

I'm waiting until the current incarnation of commies dies over. With someone else instead of Zuganov at the helm (Savitskaya?) they might give the putinists a run for their ass, but that's some time in the future.

In any case, for the current political players (Zhirinovsky, Zyuganov) these elections are the last.

And as for Bogdanov's political future... Well, at least he became a mini-celebrity. "Election candidate". Watch the new Reality Show: "Big PUTIN!"

[Mange]

That the election wasn't free and fair hardly comes as a surprise. Unfortunately, many Russians are still locked in the old mindset and there are those who just don't realize that a plural society, not a monolithic one-party state, best maximizes the happiness of members of a society.

[Pelranius]

So who were the 9.4% of the population dumb enough to vote for that self hating Jew Zhirinovsky, anyways?

The only thing going for him is the laugh factor, I guess.

[K. A. Pital]

Unfortunately, many Russians are still locked in the old mindset and there are those who just don't realize that a plural society, not a monolithic one-party state, best maximizes the happiness of members of a society.

There's a huge problem with a larger fraction of ordinary Russians landing into poverty during the "plurality" period, which maximized their suffering as opposed to happines. So it hardly comes as a surprise that any party promising "stability" and strong enough to hold power would enjoy support.

Especially the one chock-full of oligarchs with immense financial resources.

So who were the 9.4% of the population dumb enough to vote for that self hating Jew Zhirinovsky, anyways?

The more ardent fascists and nationalists.

[Mange]

Unfortunately, many Russians are still locked in the old mindset and there are those who just don't realize that a plural society, not a monolithic one-party state, best maximizes the happiness of members of a society.

There's a huge problem with a larger fraction of ordinary Russians landing into poverty during the "plurality" period, which maximized their suffering as opposed to happines. So it hardly comes as a surprise that any party promising "stability" and strong enough to hold power would enjoy support.

Yes, the 1990s were unfortunate, but what might one expect? I don't think it's possible to say to a population who has lived under oppression in a one-party dictatorial state for nearly 75 years where people have been told what to do, how to think and where no civil society has existed to suddenly "think for yourselves".

Especially the one chock-full of oligarchs with immense financial resources.

I see the oligarchs as a rather natural result: There were no entrepreneurs after the collapse of the Soviet Union so in a sense the oligarchs can be seen as trained entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, their skills failed to "rub off" and with the disgusting greed displayed by the oligarchs, it's no surprise that they were shunned.

[K. A. Pital]

Yes, the 1990s were unfortunate, but what might one expect?

Anything from a larger civil war to a continued one-party state, which is what we have now after a short period of turmoil?

I see the oligarchs as a rather natural result

It doesn't matter whether the current oligarchy in power is natural or unnatural. It's harmful and should be disposed of before the political process can hope for a genuine start. Elections are meaningless in an oligarchy, and that's why the public is so fucking apathetic.

[Patrick Degan]

I heard a news comentator utter the phrase "post-Putin era" for the new Medvedev government. I couldn't help but chuckle a bit at that.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

I heard a news comentator utter the phrase "post-Putin era" for the new Medvedev government. I couldn't help but chuckle a bit at that.

The media as usual has its own anti-Russian agenda probably, or as usual betray their ignorance.

[The Yosemite Bear]

any of them work for or lobby on behalf of Diebold or what ever it's calling it's self now, deserve to be kicked in the nuts for pot/kettle/black

[Patrick Degan]

any of them work for or lobby on behalf of Diebold or what ever it's calling it's self now, deserve to be kicked in the nuts for pot/kettle/black

Putin hardly needs the help of Diebold to rig a vote when he's got the tried-and-true KGB methods along with a few tricks taken from the Chicago playbook. It wouldn't surprise me if Chernobyl went heavily for Medvedev in the election.

[K. A. Pital]

It wouldn't surprise me if Chernobyl went heavily for Medvedev in the election.

Chernobyl isn't in Russia, Patrick... unless it's some sort of English-only joke.

As for Putin, his goons don't need to rig the vote even though they still do. They still have an enormous lead over anybody else, rigged or not.

[Patrick Degan]

It wouldn't surprise me if Chernobyl went heavily for Medvedev in the election.

Chernobyl isn't in Russia, Patrick... unless it's some sort of English-only joke.

A mere technicality. And yes, it is a joke. Referring to how, in our country, death is no bar to your right to vote in elections.

[Adrian Laguna]

To expand unpon what Patrick means as to the "Chicago playbook", the joke around these parts is that you need to "vote early and vote often". Also, there's been incidents of large numbers of dead people having voted.

[K. A. Pital]

Heh. Yea, dead voters are a problem, but not that serious. The greatest problem, sadly, lies not with the government, but with the voters who are often apathetic, even if not stupid.

Funny enough, Moscow State University and many other universities' electoral districts voted against United Russia.