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United Russia congress to approve new party democracy principles on May 26

Party members said the proposals went beyond their boldest expectations

MOSCOW, May 25 (Itar-Tass) —— United Russia is preparing to amend its charter for broadening political competition. The amendments are based on the Friday proposals of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Party members said the proposals went beyond their boldest expectations. Some of Medvedev’s seven postulates had been discussed before and some sounded revolutionary.

Apart from the election of all party leaders in multi-candidate ballots and annual rotation of the party administrative bodies, Medvedev proposed to increase the role of primary party organizations and to introduce new rules in the nomination of candidates for regional heads and legislative bodies. In fact, he suggested a reset of United Russia, party members said.

The party will take the moves amid liberalization of party laws. The Justice Ministry has received 160 applications for forming new parties, a United Russia member said.

About 700 people took part in the Friday discussions, and Medvedev attended them all. He promised to present the concept again and supplement it with proposals of United Russia members on Saturday.

The party congress will elect a new party chairman and consider amendments and additions to the party charter with regard to democratization of the party life: principles of the election of party organization leaders, their rotation and the acknowledgement of opinions of social, liberal and patriotic platforms within United Russia

The congress will elect the party’s ruling bodies – the Supreme Council, the General Council, the General Council Presidium and the Central Auditing Commission, and discuss the United Russia strategy in the autumnal elections.

More than 3,000 people will attend the party congress, among them 671 delegates, including 426 representing regional organizations of the party, 1,600 guests, party supporters and 30 foreign delegations.

The delegates will discuss “the Eurasian Project: Integration Unions as a Factor of Sustainable Development.”

President Vladimir Putin will take part in the party congress.

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