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Zyuganov promises new Duma election if becomes president

The Communist leader described the December 4 election as “the dirtiest” in the past 20 years

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, December 17 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov promised to hold an early election to the State Duma if he wins the presidential election in March 2012.

“In case the Communist Party of the Russian Federation wins the presidential election it will guarantee to hold an early and fair election to the State Duma in December 2012,” he told a congress of his party which is expected to nominate him for president on Saturday.

He also said he would dismiss Central Election Commission Chairman Vladimir Churov and promised to agree the successor with all political parties.

Zyuganov quoted his data as saying the ruling United Russia Party had in reality gained two times less votes than the official figure of 49%.

“According to the turnout it means less than a quarter of eligible voters,” the Communist leader said and described the December 4 election as “the dirtiest” in the past 20 years.

Earlier Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of Liberal Democrats, also promised to hold a new election to the State Duma. He claimed his party was denied dozens of seats in the legislature. The LDPR received 56 seats while Zhirinovsky said his party should have 91 or even a hundred. As the lower house cannot be dissolved in the first year of office, he said “I will insist on a new election in March 2013.”

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