Without Putin and without a program

What happened at the XV Congress of the United Russia party, The New Times sorted out

The cleaner cleans the traces of the party’s stay at VDNH , Moscow, on February 5, 2016 from the on February 5 and 6 in Moscow among the imperial decorations of the VDNH Congress of the ruling party, it was possible to expect statements directly dedicated to the upcoming elections - there were not so many time left until September. But the United Russia preferred not to rush and conducted, so to speak, a pre-election congress, having decided not on the program and lists of candidates, but so far only with the methods of forming the program and lists. And it’s easier to tell what did not happen at the XV Congress than to try to analyze his solutions.

First faces

Firstly, Vladimir Putin did not happen at the Party of Party Congress. Greeting to the delegates from the president was read out by the chairman of the EP, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. In the text, forcing to recall the congresses of another ruling party, the CPSU is a complete absence of specifics. EP “works for the consolidation of all constructive forces”, “in a difficult situation offers initiatives aimed at strengthening the economy”, “is more and more based on civil society.” The former party leader did not find a single meaningful word for his fans. Putin (the image of which, by the way, is forbidden to use united Russia in election campaigning) seem to be removed from the party. Just in case. His personal popularity is his capital, which is still independent of the economic situation. In general, removal is a key term for describing the events of the congress.

The former party leader did not find a single substantive word for his fans

True, the current party leader did not play detachment. He once retreated - representatives of the system opposition had already begun conversations about the vote of mistrust to the government. Medvedev’s speech was on the second day of the congress (during the first, candidates worked in sections, discussing a wide range of issues - from the problems of education to the need to help pensioners; they decided that pensioners should be taken care of, and also noted the party’s contribution to the development of education). The prime minister called on the one -party members to confidently join the electoral cycle and take responsibility, offering voters “as soon as possible” the electoral program containing a “intelligible set of measures”: not to reduce social obligations, develop regions, “give freedom to entrepreneurs and reduce taxes”. A separate emphasis is on the upcoming internal party primaries: “Russian citizens must understand that they are politics,” voting for acquaintances, and not imposed candidates.

Exiles and aliens

Medvedev also proposed to rotate the governing bodies of the party (the highest and general councils), politely calling those who have to leave responsible posts, “our support”. After that, the ranks of the party leadership were left by his direct subordinates - Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov, Minister of Education Dmitry Livanov and Deputy Minister of Health Tatyana Yakovlev. The decision for the era of the crisis is absolutely understandable: the president moves away from the party, the party is retreating from unpopular members of the government.

People who, apparently are considered more attractive to voters (Putin in his greeting, also talked about working with public opinion leaders) should be replaced in tips). But here, the EP’s choice is somewhat ambiguous: for example, Timur Kizyakov, chief editor of the newspaper “Culture” Elena Yampolskaya and the founder of the Ural Girya Artem Artemiev company, were included in the Supreme Council, for example, the lead “so far”. The company produces "inventory for gyrev sports", that is, the very weights. Kizyakov has at least constant spectators, but how many fans have many of the Yampolskaya outside the midst of Internet oppositions who are accustomed to catching especially odious quotes in her columns?

Reliable rear - Victory Condition, Moscow, February 5, 2016

Theatrical critic Elena Yampolskaya in the first half of the zero was famous for the uncompromising erotic prose. In her book “Anthem of a real bitch, or I am alone” in 2004, the future chief editor of “Culture” wrote: “Well, I love. Myself ... And if in the end I managed to become a selfish, it is personally my merit. By the way, it would be nice to give something for yourself ... to pave the way to heart through the penis is not difficult ... but here there comes a moment of truth when you realize that, most likely, he loves not you, but your clitoris. ” In the “culture”, the tone and sphere of the application of interests changed: “Faith, conscience, social justice. The promotion of creativity, the prestige of labor, real knowledge and high professionalism. The skill is not only about yourself, love for children and the elderly, for the earth and the native word. The willingness to repulse everything that is harmful to Russia, for the person - decomposing. Respect for the power, behind which is true. Why not stones in the foundation of the ideology of national development? " The coming to the leadership of the party in power here looks a worthy continuation of the career, but not the fact that this is a strong move from an electoral point of view.

New faces

However, the truly new heroes of the EP are not members of the Higher Council. Heroes should appear as a result of party primaries. The primaries became the main theme of the congress, although they were approved the regulations after - only February 11. At the congress, Medvedev called to take the case seriously, without “contractual lists” and “convenient people”.

The main dish from the United Russia is the primaries. An unobvious chance for the appearance of new people in the lists of candidates and fixing the obvious fact: the population is simply tired of the honored party members

According to the regulations, from February 15, the nomination of candidates will begin, which will end on April 10. Then registration, creation of counting commissions and agitampania (including mandatory debate for all participants). By the summer, the United Russia is hoped to determine the electoral lists compiled according to the results of the primaries. You can participate in non -partisan, members of other parties - no. Citizens with criminal records, even extinguished, are also not allowed to the primaries.

In parallel, the program commission created at the congress will develop the election program. The body is personally headed by Dmitry Medvedev (the basis of the program should be his speech at the congress), as part of others - Irina Yarovaya, Sergey Zheleznyak, Boris Gryzlov, Vyacheslav Nikonov and Elena Yampolskaya mentioned above.

Secretary of the General Council of the Party Sergey Neverov and Dmitry Medvedev vote “For”, Moscow, February 6, 2016

So, the main dish from the United Russia is precisely the primaries. An unobvious chance for the appearance of new people in the lists of candidates and fixing the obvious fact: the population from honored party members is simply tired. This is what creates the problem when voting, not only on lists, but also in single -mandate districts - everything will not work to take control even with an administrative resource. The only intelligible proposal for voters for now is to vote for the new authorities (while maintaining the old majority of key posts).

A short course

Key congresses of the ruling party

I Congress - December 1, 2001 - he is the III Congress of the All -Russian Public Organization Union “Unity and Fatherland”. The Union was created after the Duma elections of 1999 by the merger of irreconcilable enemies - the Unity party (leader - Minister of Emergency Situations Sergey Shoigu) and the movements of the Fatherland (leader - Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov) and “All of Russia” (leader - President of the Republic of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev). At the congress, the union was transformed into the political party “Unity and Fatherland - United Russia”, and Shoigu, Luzhkov and Shaimiev became co -chairs of the Party of the Supreme Council. Later, the then Minister of the Interior Boris Gryzlov was elected chairman of the Supreme Council.

III Congress - September 29, 2003 - pre -election. At the congress, they approved the program (on the basis of the previously compiled manifesto of United Russia - the path of national success ”), lists of candidates and the charter. The program stated that the country entered the period of "stability and confident growth." The United Russia promised to ensure that the maximum majority of people could take advantage of the fruits of growth, and support only reforms that lead to an increase in the well -being of Russians, and proclaimed themselves by centrists.

One of the options for the manifesto (as a result is not accepted) was published in 2002 in an independent newspaper. This option, where the statements were contained that by 2004 “every Russian will pay for electricity twice as much than now”, by 2008, Chechnya will become “resort Mecca of Russia”, and by 2017 Russia will be “the leader of the world economy and politics”, and the united Russia is still recalled.

At the congress with a greeting and a wish of victory, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke. The victory happened: 37.56 % on the lists plus 103 single -mandate, in total - 223 places in the Duma of the fourth convocation. The party was accused of postscripts and the use of an administrative resource (according to various estimates - from 3 % to 6 % of the “stolen” votes). Boris Gryzlov became the chairman of the parliament.

IV Congress - December 24, 2003 - the party “Unity and Fatherland - United Russia” was renamed United Russia. A unanimous decision has been made on the unconditional support of Vladimir Putin in the presidential election.

The VIII Congress of the Party took place in two stages. In the first - before the elections to the State Duma, October 1–2, 2007 - the program “Putin’s plan - a worthy future of Russia” and lists of candidates were approved (voting was held only on party lists). Putin’s plan promised “The development of Russia as a unique civilization”, “Strengthening the sovereignty” and “Ensuring a worthy life of citizens”, and Putin himself, without joining the party, headed the party list.

In the ER election, she received 64.3 % of the vote, or 315 mandates (see NT No. 35 of October 8, 2007).

At the second stage of the congress, December 17, 2007, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was nominated by a presidential candidate. Only one of the 478 delegates of the congress voted against.

XI Congress-November 21, 2009 -was remembered not so much by talking about strengthening the “ideology of stability and development” as a sad incident: two delegates, Senator Dmitry Ananyev and vice-governor of St. Petersburg Alla Manilova, trying to better see President Dmitry Medvedev, fell from the stands and received minor injuries (see NT No. 42 of November 23, 2009).

The XII Congress - September 24, 2011 - went down in the history of the so -called scream. President Medvedev proposed to nominate Putin President President. Thousands of delegates applauded standing. Medvedev himself headed the pre -election list of the party in the elections to the State Duma. Victory in the elections (less confident than the previous time - 49.32 % of the votes, 238 mandates) turned into mass protests, accusations of falsifications and the appearance of a batch of crooks and thieves "(see NT No. 44–45 of December 26
2011).

The XIII Congress - May 26, 2012 - chose Dmitry Medvedev as chairman of the party.

Photo: Dmitry Dukhanin/Kommersant, Dmitry Astakhov/press service of the Government of the Russian Federation/TASS