MOSCOW, January 29 (RIA Novosti) - Activists of Russian liberal party Yabloko held a rally in central Moscow to protest authorities' refusal to register its ballots for upcoming regional elections, a RIA Novosti correspondent said Monday.
Election committees in the North Caucasus republic of Daghestan and Russia's second city, St. Petersburg, refused to register Yabloko for the March regional legislature elections, saying that more than 10% of signatures in support of the party list had been deemed invalid.
Yabloko leaders called the decision "politically motivated", and expressed concern that the party will face the same fate in the Moscow Region in the next few days.
Election committees in the North Caucasus republic of Daghestan and Russia's second city, St. Petersburg, refused to register Yabloko for the March regional legislature elections, saying that more than 10% of signatures in support of the party list had been deemed invalid.
Yabloko leaders called the decision "politically motivated", and expressed concern that the party will face the same fate in the Moscow Region in the next few days.
More than 40 Yabloko activists gathered Monday near the former Lenin Museum in Moscow to protest against the move, and to urge authorities to return to fair elections.
In 2003, the party, led by Grigory Yavlinsky, won only four seats in Russia's 450-seat Duma, all from single-mandate districts, as it garnered less than the 5% of the vote necessary for its deputies to be elected from party lists. The lower house has become increasingly dominated by pro-Kremlin party United Russia.
Russia's election legislation has been subject to several amendments since the previous polls, which have been vehemently criticized by rights groups, who consider the changes part of the Kremlin's ongoing clampdown on democracy.
Lawmakers have abolished the 20% threshold for voter turnout, and canceled early voting and the "against all candidates" option on election ballots at all levels. The Kremlin has said these changes are needed to safeguard the development of Russian democracy from irresponsible marginal parties.
The threshold for parties seeking seats in the State Duma has also been increased from 5% to 7% in a move "to encourage parties to work harder and unite," according to top election official Alexander Veshnyakov.
In 2003, the party, led by Grigory Yavlinsky, won only four seats in Russia's 450-seat Duma, all from single-mandate districts, as it garnered less than the 5% of the vote necessary for its deputies to be elected from party lists. The lower house has become increasingly dominated by pro-Kremlin party United Russia.
Russia's election legislation has been subject to several amendments since the previous polls, which have been vehemently criticized by rights groups, who consider the changes part of the Kremlin's ongoing clampdown on democracy.
Lawmakers have abolished the 20% threshold for voter turnout, and canceled early voting and the "against all candidates" option on election ballots at all levels. The Kremlin has said these changes are needed to safeguard the development of Russian democracy from irresponsible marginal parties.
The threshold for parties seeking seats in the State Duma has also been increased from 5% to 7% in a move "to encourage parties to work harder and unite," according to top election official Alexander Veshnyakov.
