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Vasilyev elected leader of UR faction in State Duma

During the secret ballot procedure, his candidature was upheld by 136 members of the faction
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, November 10 (Itar-Tass) — Head of the State Duma commission for control over lawmakers’ incomes Vladimir Vasilyev has been elected leader of the United Russia faction in the State Duma.

During the secret ballot procedure, his candidature was upheld by 136 members of the faction. Eighteen deputies voted for Vadim Bulavinov, nine lawmakers backed Yevgeny Fyodorov and one voting ballot was recognised invalid.

The State Duma United Russia faction includes 238 deputies. Vasilyev has to get the simple majority to be elected the faction’s leader.

Addressing his colleagues, Vasilyev pledged that he would try to justify their confidence “in such a manner that every person and every deputy are a personality and a political scientist who stands on dignity”.

He thanked the party members for their choice. “As of today the United Russia party is the only party, which makes a genuine choice, a choice among its representatives”.

Vasilyev recalled that he had taken part in the faction voting. He denied allegations saying, “Look at the people. They move up by professional and business-like qualities. The United Russia party moves them up.”

The new leader said he is convinced that the United Russia members would succeed in getting rid of “attacks by their own work”.

The election of Vasilyev as head of the United Russia faction in the State Duma is based on deputies’ respect, an official of the Kremlin administration told Itar-Tass.

“The president personally knows Vasilyev, who has worked with Vladimir Putin since the beginning of 2000’s. Vasilyev is a decent and professional person and deputies defer to his opinion,” the Kremlin official said.

He also said the decision to elect Vasilyev “is based on real and objective respect by members of the United Russia party and representatives of the All-Russia People’s Front”.

At the extraordinary session Vasilyev, who was head of the State Duma commission for control over lawmakers’ incomes, has been elected leader of the United Russia faction by the majority of votes. Vasilyev has been also nominated as the lower house’s deputy speaker. He will replace Andrei Vorobyov, who was earlier appointed as acting governor of the Moscow Region.