Protesters in Ufa demanded reform of election legislation

On December 24 in Ufa, despite snowfall and wind, about 200 people took part in an authorized rally organized by the regional branch of the Yabloko party and a number of public associations in Bashkiria, according to police, Interfax reports.

The protesters gathered in the parking lot in front of the Russian Drama Theater in Ufa, opposite the city mayor's office, since the favorite recent venue for mass protests - the area near the main staircase of the theater - turned out to be fenced off. They sent a children's locomotive along it, which ran in circles completely empty.

At first, about 30 protesters stood silently on the site for about an hour with flags and slogans, but an hour later they were joined by about 170 more people who marched in a column several blocks from the Sports Palace to the square near the drama theater.

The protesters adopted an appeal to the State Assembly (Kurultai) of Bashkiria, in which they protested against “the policy of conciliation and corruption of parties that have come to terms with the results of the elections on December 4.” The appeal also contains a demand to reform election legislation, return elections in single-mandate constituencies, lower the entry barrier for parties to 2%, and return direct elections of regional heads.