The problem of choice

In recent days, information has appeared in the press that Yabloko intends to abstain from participating in the State Duma elections in 2007. How are things really going? And what about in the northern capital, where Democrats hope for success in the campaign for elections to the Legislative Assembly?

The question of Yabloko's participation in the December 2007 elections to the State Duma will become a topic of internal party discussion. According to Grigory Yavlinsky, democratic procedures are turning into a farce - the voting result is practically predetermined. It is appropriate to recall that at the October elections in Karelia, where the Yabloko party’s chances of winning were very high, the party’s list was deregistered. And, for example, in the Sverdlovsk region, the authorities systematically worked to reduce turnout, proving to Democratic supporters that even if they entered the local parliament, Apple candidates would still not be able to influence anything. “If the Duma elections were held today, then one should not participate in them,” Yavlinsky sums up in his open letter.
“In essence, we are still talking about how best we can act to convey our position to voters,” says the leader of the St. Petersburg Yabloko party, Maxim Reznik. – Boycott is also a position. But the majority of members of the federal bureau still believe that it is necessary to participate in the election campaign at the federal level. But, of course, in this case it is necessary to take into account the opinions of as many regional organizations as possible, so an internal party discussion is needed.
It is obvious that the final decision will be influenced not only by the opinion of the “lower classes”, but also by the results of the March elections in the regions. Apparently, St. Petersburg will be among these regions: it is known that United Russia is interested in forming a new Legislative Assembly not in December, but in the spring. According to Reznik, if the election campaign starts earlier than expected, that is, in the spring, then St. Petersburg Yabloko supporters are guaranteed help from the center. Reznik says the party will fight for 15 percent of the vote. However, it is almost impossible to guarantee the result.
Firstly, it will not be easy for Yabloko to register its list. They are not represented in the Duma, and therefore must either pay a cash deposit or collect signatures from St. Petersburg residents. But the bail amount, in accordance with city law, is almost $3 million: it is clear that the Democrats cannot raise that kind of money. And in the subscription lists, as practice shows, you can always find a certain number of “fleas” that can serve as grounds for refusal.
Secondly, it is clear that if not only Yabloko takes part in the elections, but also the Union of Right Forces and the votes diverge, then both parties could probably end up overboard. Yavlinsky's supporters in St. Petersburg hope that they will be able to come to an agreement with the Union of Right Forces and put forward a common list. True, it is possible that Smolny will also make its contribution to the negotiation process, which is unlikely to be interested in the appearance of an opposition faction in the new composition of the city parliament.
In general, today the future of the St. Petersburg elections raises many questions. And we need to look for answers today. So that it's not too late.

Victoria RABOTNOVA