After weeks of anti-establishment protests, Moscow holds local election
Today, elections for all 45 seats, each of which serves a five-year term, in Moscow’s parliament will be held today.
Moscow’s City Election Commission has barred 57 of 200 candidates – mostly those opposing the ruling United Russia party – from contesting the election. Citizens and opposition parties claim that the election commission has committed fraud in verifying candidates’ legitimacy. Notable opposition politician Alexei Navalny has called for voters to vote against the establishment.
Since July 20, thousands of citizens have been protesting against government attacks on democratic freedoms. Despite the demonstrations being authorised, police have cracked down on the protesters and detained more than 2.000 people. Authorities have also begun criminal investigations into some protesters.
The rallies represent a larger discontentment against corruption and falling standards of living in Russia. The government hiked the retirement age and cut pensions on last October. While the opposition has lost some chances of gaining hold in Moscow owing to disqualification, it is likely to bank on public anger in the run-up to 2021 Kremlin elections.
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