MOSCOW, September 13 (Itar-Tass) — Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky called for direct presidential rule in the republics of the North Caucasus. "Ninety percent of the population of North Caucasus republics wish it," he said at the 23rd LDPR Congress on Tuesday.
He also brought forward other peculiar proposals, such as the necessity to cancel the single state examination (EGE). "Let children get enrolled in any college without (entrance) examinations," he claimed.
Speaking about elections, the LDPR leader voiced his vision of the prospects for the development of legislation.
"Lowering the electoral threshold would be a spurt toward democracy," he said.
He called for lowering it to 3 percent for parliamentary elections of 2021, and to 1 percent by 2026. "It's the highest democracy," he stated complaining that Right Cause Party leader Mikhail Prokhorov had "stolen' this idea.
Zhirinovsky also insisted that none of the parties should get more than 40 percent of mandates in the new State Duma. He had repeatedly voiced this idea. According to his emotional prognosis, just three parties will get seats in the 6th State Duma.
"If the elections are fully honest and free, the LDPR and the Communists will win seats in the State Duma with United Russia coming third," he said.
Zhirinovsky was speaking in his trademark manner, making emotional statements with plenty of gestures. In a fit of anger, he addressed someone in the audience thus: "I'm tired of your lies, of your slander."
Among the group of people at whom his remark might have been directed was Central Election Commission chairman Vladimir Churov, who had been an LDPR member once and had been invited to the Congress.
The LDPR Congress' slogan is "LDPR for Russians!" "The Russian people was the backbone and the engine, which, together with other peoples, created this state," Zhirinovsky said underlining that the slogan "For Russians!" does not imply that "we are against other peoples."
"We wish to explain that the Russian people played the key role in the Russian history," Zhirinovsky said explaining that he meant "Russians not by birth but by self-sentiment." He reiterated that the Party's slogan was not aimed at anyone.
The participants in the Congress are some 300 delegates from different regions of the country. They are expected to approve the federal list of LDPR candidates who will run in the elections to the 6th State Duma on December 4.
The Congress will vote on the federal list in a secret ballot. Zhirinovsky will make a closing address. In all, his reports will take 1 hour 40 minutes.