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CEC to publish official initial results of Duma elections

The United Russia retains the leading status

MOSCOW, December 4 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia’s Central Elections Commission /CEC/ will publish on Monday official initial results of the elections to the State Duma of the sixth convocation.

Anyway, the results are quite evident already. The United Russia retains the leading status, though the party has lost 16 percent of votes against the parliamentary elections of 2007.

Results of exit-polls, published immediately as the polling stations were closed, showed that four parties get seats at the State Duma: United Russia – 46-48 percent, CPRF – 19.8-21 percent, Just Russia – 12.8-14.1 percent and LDPR – 11.4-13.2 percent. Other parties do not win a minimum of seven percent of the national vote.

At the elections to the State Duma of 2007 the same four parties got seats at the parliament, but back then United Russia had 64.3 percent.

The data goes in line with the information of the CEC. The commission’s head Vladimir Churov said that after having processed 27 percent of protocols, United Russia receives 47.32 percent, CPRF – 20.25 percent, LDPR – 13.44 percent, Just Russia – 13.36 percent, Patriots of Russia – 1.01 percent, Yabloko – 2.60 percent, Right Cause – 0.55 percent of the vote.

Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin came to headquarters of United Russia almost immediately after the first results were published.

Dmitry Medvedev formally is not a member of the party, but he tops the party ticket at this election. Vladimir Putin is the party leader and the candidate for presidency at the election due in March of the coming year.

United Russia remains the biggest political force in the parliament, the president said. “Depending on results, we shall make final conclusions, but already now we may say that the party was a success, in compliance with its political influence,” he said. “The line-up we shall have at the State Duma reflects the realistic political line-up of forces in the country.”

Vladimir Putin expressed a similar view. “Despite the rather complicated period, despite the crisis, and that United Russia, the leading political force, was responsible for this complicated period, for losses, misfortunes, even despite all these difficulties, our electors chose to have it retain its political leading force,” he said. “This is an optimal result, which reflects the situation in the country.” He is sure that United Russia will provide stable development of the country.

At a briefing at the party’s headquarters, he expressed confidence in United Russia’s political positions. At the same time, Putin refused to answer a question from a reporter about where the 16 missing percent are. “I am not answering this question,” he said.

All other parties are much less optimistic about results of the elections.

Leader of the communists, Gennady Zyuganov promised that the party will protect its votes. He told a news conference at the party’s headquarters that he estimates “CPRF’s results in many regions at about 38-39 percent.” He added that in some regions, the party got more votes than United Russia did.

“If somebody proves the opposite – it would be stealing, if somebody would try to make us fit certain percentage – we shall not let it happen,” he warned. “We shall protect our votes and are ready for a dialogue with all political forces of the country. The elections are over, and we see many violations again.”

“We are not taking our allies on the streets to protest, but we shall organise protests against violations over the elections only after we prove them legally,” Zyuganov said.

LDPR’s leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky said that his party had filed already to CEC a 40-page complaint about violations. He claims that the party was supported by 20-30 percent voters. But the party will not argue the elections results if they have more seats in the new parliament, than they have now.

Just Russia will file court cases if there are enough proofs of violations, which could have affected the final results, head of the 5th State Duma’s faction Sergei Mironov said. He pointed to numerous violations, which happened at poll stations. The party is especially concerned about distortions in St. Petersburg, he said. The situation there is becoming “unpleasant.” “United Russia is losing the elections and would not agree with it,” he said.

Yabloko also fears “a flow of forge” and does not rule out it may recognise the parliamentary elections illegitimate. The party’s leader Sergei Mitrokhin said that many violations had been registered both throughout the country and in Moscow, too, which is considered to be the party’s “major donor.” He stressed that Yabloko “is collecting more and more reasons not to recognise the campaign’s results.