Russia's election and the need for legitimacy - BBC

[TomSea]

Russia's election and the need for legitimacy

This Sunday's parliamentary election is the eighth which I have witnessed or reported on in Russia since 1989. And, so far, it has been the least interesting.

In Moscow there have been fewer election posters and banners on view than in previous years. Last week one Russian newspaper joked that the Duma election had been classified "Top Secret", since voters did not know the names of the candidates.

And yet, in theory, this election should have been more exciting than previous polls. A change to the law has permitted more parties to participate than in 2011 and even a handful of Kremlin critics have been allowed to run.

What's more, this time half of the 450 Russian MPs will be elected - not by party lists - but in single-mandate districts: the return to a system in which Russians can vote for a candidate of their choice in their own constituency.

Read More At: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37339192

[geronl]

Good luck with that.

Putin controls the media and the counting machines and real opposition ends up in jail or graves