Political parties in Russia


This article discusses political parties in Russia.
The Russian Federation has a multi-party system. six parties have members in the federal parliament, the State Duma, with one dominant party.
After the Perestroika reforms in the 1980s Russia had over 100 registered parties, but the people elected to the State Duma represented only a small number of parties. After 2000, during Vladimir Putin's first presidency, the number of parties quickly decreased. From 2008 to 2012 there were only seven parties in Russia, and every new attempt to register new, independent parties was blocked. The last-registered party of this period was the government-organized Right Cause. Before the 2011 parliamentary elections, about 10 opposition parties were denied registration. However, after a series of mass protests and a 2011 European Court decision on the case of the Republican Party of Russia, the law changed and the number of registered parties quickly increased to more than 48.

History

Party of power

In Russian politics, a "party of power" is a specially established party which unconditionally supports the current president or prime minister in the parliament.
These parties have been considered parties of power:

Social composition of voters

According to studies, United Russia voters in 2007 were younger and more market-oriented than the average voter. The party's electorate includes a substantial share of government employees, pensioners and military personnel, who are dependent on the state for their livelihood. Sixty-four percent of United Russia supporters are female. According to researchers, this could be because women place a great value on stability. In the run-up to the 2011 Duma elections, it was reported that support for United Russia was growing among young people.

Registered parties

All parties registered by the Ministry of Justice have the right to participate in any elections all over the country. The list is placed on the . In December 2012, there were 48 registered parties in Russia; 6 of them are currently represented in the State Duma as of 2017.

Currently represented in the State Duma

Historical parties (1992–present)