Chechnya can return a vote of more than 100 percent for United Russia in elections, the speaker of the republic’s parliament was quoted as saying Wednesday.
“If United Russia needs to get 115 to 120 percent of the votes, we can achieve that,” Speaker Dukvakha Abdurakhmanov told reporters in Moscow, the RBC.ru news site reported.
Abdurakhmanov said Chechens do not vote for the party but for its leaders. “If United Russia were led by someone other than [Prime Minister] Vladimir Putin and Ramzan Kadyrov, nobody would vote for them,” he said.
Chechnya has in the past returned jaw-dropping results for United Russia. In the 2007 State Duma elections, it reported that 99.36 percent for the party and a 99.5 percent turnout.
(MT)
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
