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‘Smart Voting’ project aimed at interfering in Russia’s domestic affairs - senior lawmaker

It is a meaningless project, which is not aimed at resolving people’s problems, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin noted
State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin Anton Novoderzhkin/TASS
State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin
© Anton Novoderzhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. The so-called "smart voting" is a meaningless project aimed at interfering in Russia’s domestic affairs, State Duma (the lower house of parliament) Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin wrote on Telegram on Saturday.

Earlier, several political scientists described Volodin’s initiative to formalize the election promises of candidates as an alternative to the Smart Voting project.

"I disagree. Smart Voting is not about a specific form. It is a meaningless project, which is not aimed at resolving people’s problems. It based on the desire to grab power," the State Duma speaker pointed out. According to him, "the project’s founders reside abroad" and "there are Western governments and intelligence agencies behind them."

"Attempts to interfere in the domestic affairs of our country are made through this project. The only argument that is provided in order to involve politicians in the project is that it opposes the government," Volodin noted.

The "smart voting" strategy’s goal is to offer recommendations to voters to cast their ballots in favor of certain candidates who don’t represent the ruling party.