The governor of the Vologda region announced on Twitter on Monday that he has offered his resignation to President Dmitry Medvedev due to "low public confidence" following United Russia's poor showing in the recent regional legislative elections.
"I have filed a resignation petition to the president. I believe that it's impossible to govern a region with such a level of trust," Governor Vyacheslav Pozgalev .
Official voting results showed United Russia had won only 33.4 percent of the vote in the region about 500 kilometers north of Moscow.
Following the Dec. 4 Duma elections, Pozgalev Komsomolskaya Pravda that United Russia had failed to "engage minds" and "pay attention" to criticism.
The regional vote took place the same day as the State Duma elections, which were tarnished by allegations of fraud in favor of United Russia.
It's not the first time a regional governor has turned to Twitter to end his career.
In July, Tver Governor Dmitry Zelenin following a bizarre 2010 episode in which he posted a picture of an earthworm on Twitter that he claimed to have found in a salad served at a presidential reception.
Kremlin officials cast doubt on the claim, and Zelenin stepped down amid flagging support for United Russia in his region, where the Communists had taken over the Tver city legislature in 2009.
The incident became the butt of political humor, with someone creating a Twitter page for the worm. On the day Zelenin resigned, the feed demanded his job be given to the worm, but it was handed to his deputy Andrei Shevelyov instead.
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.
