| The next parliamentary elections in Russia are scheduled
for December 2003 and their approach is felt ever more keenly with every
passing day. The Elections-2003 party forum was recently held in the Manege,
Moscow's central exhibition hall near the Kremlin.
The Elections-2003 forum was an unusual event in Russia's political
history and the press labelled it "a circus" and "a show".
On the forum's opening day the leaders of 27 Russian parties, representatives
of media communities and PR organisations signed a public agreement on
honest elections. Each party had its own publicity stand and staged a
presentation in the hall, while visitors were allowed in for free. For
five days the Manege hosted planned seminars, discussions and roundtables
on vital issues.
Three parties -- the Communist Party, pro-presidential United Russia and
the little-known Russia's Regions Party -- could afford the largest expositions
in the Manege, where a square metre of floor space cost 160 dollars to
rent. The latter circumstance is quite understandable, as well-known Russian
politician Sergei Glazyev recently became head of the latter party and
he and his sponsors are making titanic efforts to form a new left-wing
bloc for the coming elections. The general opinion was that the Agrarian
Party had organised the most convincing and interesting exposition. There
were sacks of potatoes and onions on its stand and visitors were invited
to drink tea with honey.
The signing of an agreement to hold honest elections was the highlight
of the forum's programme. In putting pen to paper, the parties assumed
the obligation to observe ethical rules during the election campaign.
This idea belongs to the Central Election Commission and was put forward
because over the years of democracy elections as an institution have lost
the public's trust. This is largely down to opponents employing dirty
PR tricks and other unlawful methods to get ahead in the polls, i.e. paying
people for their signatures on deputy lists, releasing so-called "compromising
material" about rivals to the press, publishing false posters and
leaflets, open slander, etc. However, dirty PR in Russia has led to a
number of real innovations.
One such innovation involves the witty nomination of "doubles."
The rivals of the favourite find his absolute namesake and nominate him
for the election, leaving voters confused and favourite in trouble. The
nomination of parties with similar titles amounts to the same thing. Television
and reporters are used to ruin rivals as well.
The parties have agreed to observe eight rules in the election campaign-2003.
They are the following: supremacy of the law over personal and group interests;
responsibility; a refusal to use privileges linked with the authorities;
equal opportunities to inform voters; open
discussion instead of polemics in absentia; a rejection of discrediting
and bribery of voters; and settlement of controversies by co-ordinating
procedures. All the rules are reasonable, however, neither the signatories
themselves nor the press, nor the voters for that matter believe the declaration
will be effective.
The democratic party YABLOKO is the only party which openly refused
to sign the declaration. However, this does not mean that the party rejects
the idea of honest elections. YABLOKO members merely stated that the declaration
is "an imitation of honest elections." The party's stand did
not cause a political scandal, as Russians are used to the fact that YABLOKO
leader Grigory Yavlinsky
and his companions do not like to follow the political herd and are never
afraid of voicing their own opinions. December will demonstrate the voters'
response to YABLOKO's move.
Another political scandal has erupted, though. Against the backdrop
of the declaration, two essentially like-minded democratic parties, the
Union of Right-Wing Forces (led by Boris Nemtsov) and YABLOKO have exchanged
accusations of "attacks, lies and slander" and are threatening
to take each other to court. Provocative posters portraying YABLOKO and
Communist leaders Grigory Yavlinsky and Gennady Zyuganov together recently
appeared in the Moscow underground. After that, a new movement "YABLOKO
without Yavlinsky,"
emerged in the provinces. Yavlinsky and his supporters are convinced that
right-wing forces are thus trying to rob them of votes by using notorious
and unethical dirty PR methods against them.
Nevertheless, one can say that Russian society has made the first move
against dirty PR. Participants in the political process have expressed
their attitude to this negative phenomenon and this, in itself, is important.
The monitoring council formed by the party-signatories will also have
its say, as it will follow the election campaign and expose those who
break the ethical rules. Serious political forces and their representatives
will not want to find themselves among the ranks of this disreputable
company.
See also:
State Duma elections
2003
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