Members of the new All-Russia People's Front political grouping should be allowed to nominate candidates for leading political positions, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
Putin announced the formation of the People's Front in early May, saying it would broaden United Russia's electoral base with "non-party people," including trade unions, NGOs, business associations and youth groups.
"I think that, within the framework of democracy, members of the People's Front could and should be provided with an opportunity to nominate their candidates in the future, and on a competitive basis, for leading positions in the [State] Duma and the regions," Putin said at a regional conference of the ruling United Russia party in Yekaterinburg.
Analysts say the creation of the People's Front is an attempt to head off a potentially damaging poor showing by the United Russia at elections in December.
