Election watchdog ‘Golos’ announced shutdown. Is this the end of independent monitoring?
The announcement was made on 8 July, shortly after Golos co-chair Grigory Melkonyants had been sentenced to five years in prison.
Following this, Golos shuttered regional offices and suspended all ongoing projects.
Read more … Election watchdog ‘Golos’ announced shutdown. Is this the end of independent monitoring?
Election update XII
United Russia primaries mark the beginning of a major electoral cycle that will culminate in the 2026 State Duma elections.
Read more about this in our digest of the main electoral developments in April–May 2025.
Why is Russian government still afraid of elections?
Ahead of 2026 parliamentary elections, Russian authorities are redrawing constituency boundaries.
It seems that after 25 years of undermining the electoral process, the Kremlin should not be concerned about the outcome, yet it is.
Redistricting is part of a broader strategy to manipulate elections, along with other tactics. This article explores how Kremlin has refined these tactics over the years and why they do not always succeed.
Read more … Why is Russian government still afraid of elections?
The verdict on local self-government will be carried out by governors
A new law on local self-government took effect in Russia, significantly altering the structure of local governance.
Originally designed to eliminate the two-tier system, the final version of the law made some concessions, but the end of local self-government as it was known seems inevitable.
Andrey Pertsev analyzes the reform’s early impact.
Read more … The verdict on local self-government will be carried out by governors
A great friendship? Russian propaganda and German elections
Russian “soft power” is a hot topic in both Russian and foreign media.
How effective actually is it? And what are the Kremlin’s fake publications up to in Germany?
Historian Ewgeniy Kasakow, author of the book "The Special Operation and Peace", analyzes the Kremlin’s main strategies and achievements in its fight for a German audience.
Read more … A great friendship? Russian propaganda and German elections
Georgy Filimonov: Authoritarian experiment in Vologda
The governor of Vologda Region has become infamous for his controversial and ideologically driven approach to governance.
A total ban on abortion, a dry law and the erection of a monument to Stalin are just some of Filimonov's initiatives.
In this analysis, REM delves into how Filimonov’s rise reflects a shift in the Kremlin’s broader vision for regional politics.
Read more … Georgy Filimonov: Authoritarian experiment in Vologda