Putin Party Scores landslide Win in Russian Election

AFP via yahoo News ^ | December 2, 2007 | Sebastian Smith

[america4vr]

President Vladimir Putin's party won a huge majority in Russian parliamentary elections Sunday tainted by fraud allegations, early results showed, paving the way for the Kremlin leader to retain power after leaving office.

The United Russia Party won 62.3 percent of the vote, according to official results with 12 percent of the ballots counted and with opposition complaints mounting.

United Russia and its allies, A Just Russia and the Liberal Democratic Party would enter the State Duma with a collective 86.3 percent of the vote, according to an exit poll by the All-Russian Centre for the Study of Public Opinion.

Under the proportional representation system used their share of the 450 seats will be even higher.

The election followed a campaign marred by accusations that the Kremlin rigged the contest, using controversial new election laws and state media to ensure a triumph for the president's party.

The opposition Communist Party said it would challenge the results at the Supreme Court. Communist legal chief Vadim Solovyev told RIA Novosti news agency there were "violations exceeding all acceptable norms."

Solovyev said some 300,000 Communist party observers had recorded more than 10,000 voting day violations.

The main European election watchdog withdrew plans for a monitoring mission in Russia, complaining of a lack of cooperation from Moscow, and Western governments have been increasingly strident in their criticism of Putin's tactics.

Putin, 55, said before the election that a big victory would give him a "moral" mandate to retain a major role when he steps down next year after two consecutive Kremlin terms, the maximum allowed by constitution.

Speculation is centering on whether the ex-KGB agent will seek to keep power through a new post or behind the scenes while a loyalist takes over the presidency in elections next March 2.

[america4vr]

What does Putin's re-election mean in political terms? Despite what seems not as good news as might be, Putin's status as nostalgic, retro-cold-war-warrior thorn-in-the-side for otherwise freer American reign on the world stage particularly regarding Iran has really nothing to show for itself except for some lame, histrionic saber-rattling.

Putin has no illusions as to the limits of his has-been political/military status and has neither the guns nor geo-political gumption to make that much of a difference.

[UKrepublican]

Putin is a despicable man - no friend of the west.

The election is a sham - democracy in Russia is a shame.

I fear for a country that has the communists as the second biggest power - with 11% compared to another evil in the United Russia party.

All you need is an islamo nazi party and they’d have it all.

[airborne]

“It’s not who votes that counts, it’s who counts the votes.”

[stephenjohnbanker]

““It’s not who votes that counts, it’s who counts the votes.”

Like the lady in red!

[jalisco555]

Probably a good time to reread Erich Fromm’s classic book “Escape from Freedom”. Post Soviet Russia, like Weimar Germany, had the chance to be free but has chosen tyrany instead.

[Zeon Cowboy]

Never thought I’d actually wish for a Communist Party victory, but... it doesn’t matter now.

[airborne]

Did she date Joseph Stalin? ;^)

[TNCMAXQ]

Scares me a little to imagine Putin facing off against a president named Clinton, Edwards, or Obama.

[Salem]

"...paving the way for the Kremlin leader to retain power after leaving office. "

I am shocked, SHOCKED I tell's ya'!

Not really.  

Also: Putin's party wins landslide victory

[jalisco555]

Scares me a little to imagine Putin facing off against a president named Clinton, Edwards, or Obama.

He'd eat any of them for lunch. Putin knows how to play a weak hand well.

[goldstategop]

United Russia won enough seats to change the Constitution. If Putin wants, he could step down as President now and have a new President name him Prime Minister. That would give a new President time to get elected on his own next March.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[ex-Texan]

Russians Were Told: Vote for Putin’s Party . . . Or Else

Russians Have Open Voting i.e. They are Watched Openly:

Click on Image for more reports about this fixed election

Russians Told: Vote for Putin’s Party ... Or Else !

[america4vr]

yeah, you are so right. These political babes-in-the-woods/ novices against a seasoned, Machiavellian like Mr. Putin is indeed downright scary. Think Carter during Iran. When dealing with any adversary especially one as wily as the Iranians,it is a cardinal rule never to reveal your hand, to remain poker-faced in the face of stand-off. Yet, Mr. Carter told the world that the military option was off the table.
Giuliani despite his faults would be the perfect Machiavellian in a world gone mad.

[denydenydeny]

The head teacher asked the 48-year-old whom she intended to vote for in today’s parliamentary elections. When she hesitated, he ordered her to support United Russia, the party backed by President Vladimir Putin. He then issued a warning.

Once again, the G8 is supposed to be for the leading industrial democracies. Russia needs to be expelled from the G8 immediately.

[stephenjohnbanker]

LMBO!

[ex-Texan]

Putin is turning Russia into model of fascist efficiency. Hitler would be very happy. Putin's Brown Shirt 'Nashis' are clones of the Hitler Youth in 1938.

No big mystery here: 'Nashi' = 'Nazi'

[stephenjohnbanker]

Yeah, they got to watch the fiasco!

[444Flyer]

*-— **- -** —* — * -* - -** *- -*— ** ***
-*-* -— — ** -* —* Putin!!!

——* ——* ——*

[Brad from Tennessee]

“It’s not who votes, it’s who counts the votes.”

—Joseph Stalin

[444Flyer]

A=.
B=_

A BBB/ AA B/ B AA/ BB A/ BB/ A/ B A/ B
B AA/ A B/ B A BB
AA/ AAA
B A BB/ BBB/ BB/ AA/ B A/ BB A Putin!!!