The Russian parliament has passed a Kremlin bill restoring gubernatorial elections, but the vote was unusually close, with opponents saying the new law will still allow the president to screen out undesirable candidates.
The 450-seat State Duma approved the bill Wednesday with 237 votes, just above the simple majority required.
President Dmitry Medvedev submitted the bill in response to massive protests against his mentor Vladimir Putin in the run-up to the March election that gave Putin a third presidential term.
Putin had scrapped direct elections of provincial governors during his presidency as part of a systematic rollback of democratic freedoms.
The new bill envisions presidential consultations with the candidates or the parties nominating them. Opposition parties complain that the rules create barriers making it difficult for opposition candidates to run and for dissatisfied voters to remove unpopular candidates.
The bill now goes to the Federation Council and, if passed, would then go to the president for his signature.
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.
