Putin’s Party to Institutionalize Fake Election Observation Ahead of 2026 Duma ”Elections”
In January 2026, the United Russia party announced plans to establish a party-controlled “network of professional international observers,” dismissing established, international election monitoring organizations such as OSCE/ODIHR as “provocative” and replacing them with bilateral party-to-party arrangements. According to Andrey Klimov, a member of United Russia’s supreme council bureau, one such deal is already being finalized […]
REM: Electoral expert on preparations for Russia’s 2026 State Duma elections
In 2026, Russia will hold its second most significant electoral event after the presidential vote — elections to the State Duma. At the same time, voters will also elect regional governors (in at least seven regions, including Chechnya), regional legislative assemblies (in 39 regions, including St. Petersburg, the Moscow and Leningrad regions), and city councils […]
REM: Election Update December 2025
Main political developments in Russia continue to revolve around preparations for the 2026 State Duma campaign. Within the presidential administration, discussions focus on the desired configuration of the party system and the electoral scenarios the Kremlin may pursue. The key source of uncertainty remains Russia’s nearly four-year war against Ukraine and the growing public fatigue — a factor […]
REM: Election update October 2025
Late September and early October marked the start of preparations for the 2026 State Duma campaign in Russia. Both the Kremlin and the opposition are already gearing up for the vote. The systemic opposition — parties represented in parliament — is analyzing its performance in the September regional elections, while the non-systemic opposition is seeking […]
Russian authorities shelve plans for mass rollout of electronic voting
Russian authorities have decided to scale back the use of remote electronic voting (REV), which is no longer seen as a priority project. According to the outlet Verstka, the system will not be widely deployed in the State Duma elections scheduled for 20 September 2026. There are several reasons for that. Firstly, the Kremlin is reportedly […]
Russian Election Monitor: Statement on Russian regional elections 2025
Russian Election Monitor: Statement on Russian regional elections 2025 15 September 2025 12, 13 and 14 September 2025 in Russia were days of elections of 20 governors, 11 regional parliaments and 25 city councils of regional capitals. Overall, elections were held in 81 regions with more than 5,000 election campaigns at various levels. 46,000 deputy […]
Providing Insights into the Kremlin’s Obstruction of Elections – Domestically and Worldwide | EPDE and REM Launch Partnership
The European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) announces a new strategic partnership with the Russian Election Monitor (REM), an initiative providing an independent regional perspective on Russia’s electoral landscape, often overlooked in Moscow-centred narratives. The cooperation aims to deepen the understanding of the Kremlin’s methods of electoral manipulation and disinformation, while supporting efforts to safeguard […]
GNDEM Condemns Conviction of Nonpartisan Election Observer Leader in Russia
The Global Network for Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) strongly condemns the sentencing of Grigory Melkonyants, the co-chair of nonpartisan election observation organization and GNDEM member Golos, to five years in prison. Golos is a leading independent election monitoring organization in Russia, providing citizens with fact-based information and analysis on democratic processes in the country. This ruling […]
Statement | Criminalizing Election Monitors: Russian Court Sentences Golos Co-Chair to 5 Years in Prison
“Some may find it boring, but the kind of society we all dream of is impossible without fair laws and a transparent process that works.“ – Grigory Melkonyants in his closing statement of his criminal case. EPDE condemns today’s verdict handed down by Judge Evgeniya Nikolaeva, sentencing Grigory Melkonyants, co-chair of the Russian election observation group […]
New Report: Undermining Institutions: How the Kremlin Involves International Election Management Bodies in Fake Observation Activities
Context, analysis, and recommendations by Łukasz Kondraciuk, Stefanie Schiffer Russia’s local elections in September 2024, concentrated on the so-called Single Voting Day, were marked by unprecedented restrictions on independent opposition, media, and election observers. To legitimize the elected politicians in the eyes of the Russian voters and international audiences, the Russian Central Election Commission invited […]