Russians Vote in Duma Election With Little Doubt Over Outcome

Russians began voting on Friday in a three-day parliamentary election that is expected to extend the dominance of President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party, according to The Guardian.

The vote for the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, is being held under tight state control and with little meaningful competition, the report said. United Russia has held a grip on parliament for 23 years, and is expected to continue to do so alongside a handful of nominal opposition parties that reliably vote with the Kremlin on major issues, according to the report.

The election comes against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine and what the report described as Putin’s tightening grip on the country’s political system. A liberal anti-war party was barred from appearing on the ballot, the report said, further narrowing the field of candidates able to challenge the ruling party.

Voting is scheduled to run over three days, with results expected to be announced after polls close on Sunday, according to The Guardian.

The Guardian’s report did not detail specific vote projections or turnout figures, noting only that there is little doubt about the overall result given the absence of meaningful opposition.