Source: Al Jazeera's Inside Story
Carnegie Moscow Center’s Maria Lipman spoke about the recent parliamentary elections in Russia on Al Jazeera's Inside Story, with presenter Stephen Cole. She was joined by Alexander Nekrassov, a former Kremlin adviser and author, and Ivan Safranchuk, the deputy director of the Institute of Contemporary International Studies in Moscow.
The popularity of the ruling United Russia party has declined over the years, explained Lipman, leaving Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin concerned about his legitimacy in Russian society. Officials have resorted to abusing their administrative authority, repressing opposition movements, and fixing national elections to ensure that United Russia remains in power. “Shameless” manipulation pervades Russia’s current electoral process, Lipman said.