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United Russia has good chances to win regional elections in 2013

Dmitry Medvedev proposed to hold the next congress of the party in November

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, May 18 (Itar-Tass) - The ruling United Russia party has good chances to win the upcoming regional elections in September 2013, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said.

“Our party will have to take a test. We should not be afraid of it but we should get prepared for it,” Medvedev said at a joint meeting of the party’s Supreme and General Councils on Saturday, May 18.

He stressed that the party has good chances to win the elections. “We have all the possibilities and absolutely all grounds to aspire for a victory and win. But the result will depend on how well we work,” he said.

The ruling United Russia party will hold its next 14th congress in November 2013, according to the decision proposed by the party leader, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and approved by its Supreme and General Councils on Saturday, May 18.

The document calls for “continuing the implementation of party projects and linking them closely with national plans” and for launching new projects.

The next congress in November will review the party’s latest activities and map out plans for 2014.

Medvedev said the congress would also have to review the results of the single voting day on September 8.

He suggested holding major party forums twice a year: “We will hold a joint meeting of the Supreme and General Councils in May or June and a congress in the autumn.”

Medvedev was elected United Russia’s leader at its previous congress in May 2012. According to the party’s Charter, its congresses are held once a year, as a rule. However there can be exceptions. In 2007 and 2008 when the party was getting prepared for parliamentary and then presidential elections, it held two forums.

At the party’s biggest congress attended by 11,000 delegates Medvedev agreed to lead United Russia’s election list in the Duma polls and proposed nominating Vladimir Putin as a presidential candidate from the party.

The party created in 2001 has also held some of its congresses outside Moscow: its 6th congress took place in 2005 in Krasnoyarsk, the 7th congress in 2006 was held in Yekaterinburg, and the 11th congress convened in 2009 in St. Petersburg.

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