MOSCOW, September 27 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that no single political party monopolizes power in Russia. Asked during a phone-in, question-answer session whether the United Russia party enjoyed a power monopoly and had no serious opposition, Putin said the Communist Party of the Soviet Union had fixed its power monopoly in the constitution, branding itself as the leading and guiding force.

"As a matter of fact, the Soviet Union had only one legal opposition, the Russian Orthodox Church," Putin said.

He acknowledged that United Russia was the dominating force in the country and the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, but called the situation normal since party members were elected.

"They [United Russia] have enough opponents, including the Zhirinovsky-led LDPR [Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia], Rodina [Homeland], which is in active opposition to them despite its split, and the KPRF [Communist Party], which has been in the system opposition for many years," Putin said.