All news

Putin to support United Russia in State Duma elections

On June 17, Putin signed a decree to call the elections of the 8th State Duma on the annual voting day, September 19, 2021

MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he will support the United Russia party in the State Duma elections. He stressed that the party did not indulge in populism and made unpopular but necessary decisions.

"Even if not very popular decisions, but crucial for the people and the future of the country are to be made, United Russia members agree to do this to a certain extent to their own detriment. This work by the United Russia party creates a very firm basis, a solid foundation of Russian statehood, in the sense the decisions the country needs will be guaranteed," Putin said during the annual Direct Line with Vladimir Putin TV program, when asked why he supported the ruling party.

"It is because I was an architect and founder of that party, and I naturally support it. Today's conversation and the answer to your question indicates that I am going to support it in the election campaign," Putin said.

He recalled that in the 1990s a tremendous amount of decisions were made to cater to the public opinion and tastes.

"They were made by the people who were well aware that their decisions could not be implemented. What is it? It is deceit of the voters and the people. Those who resort to it positon themselves as defenders of the people and then blame the failure to enforce the decisions on somebody else. As a rule, they had known well in advance that the decisions were unrealistic. United Russia does not act in this way," Putin added.

On June 17, Putin signed a decree to call the elections of the 8th State Duma on the annual voting day, September 19, 2021. The voting will be extended over three days - September 17, 18, and 19. Alongside the State Duma elections there will be direct elections of the heads of nine Russian regions (in three others the top executive officials will be elected by the local legislatures) and 39 regional parliaments.