The Illusion of Choice in Russia's Sham Elections The upcoming parliamentary elections in Russia are being touted as a significant event, but one that will deliver a foregone conclusion: Vladimir Putin's party will win by default.
This predictability stems from the Kremlin's stranglehold on politics and its manipulation of the electoral process.
Regional officials have disqualified opposition candidates en masse, often citing flimsy or pretextual reasons. A politician in Udmurtia was removed for using a song deemed unacceptable in her campaign video.