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| Russia regional vote: Polls close in key elections | Russia regional vote: Polls close in key elections |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Polls have closed in regional elections across Russia that are seen as a gauge of public opinion ahead of parliamentary elections next year. | Polls have closed in regional elections across Russia that are seen as a gauge of public opinion ahead of parliamentary elections next year. |
| About 59 million people - nearly half the population - were eligible to vote for 21 governors and 11 regional parliaments. Results are expected to be officially announced on Monday. | About 59 million people - nearly half the population - were eligible to vote for 21 governors and 11 regional parliaments. Results are expected to be officially announced on Monday. |
| The opposition Democratic Coalition was only allowed to stand in one region. | The opposition Democratic Coalition was only allowed to stand in one region. |
| The coalition includes the party of murdered politician, Boris Nemtsov. | The coalition includes the party of murdered politician, Boris Nemtsov. |
| It also includes the party of anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny. He cannot run for office as he is serving a suspended prison sentence in an embezzlement case that he argues was fabricated. | It also includes the party of anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny. He cannot run for office as he is serving a suspended prison sentence in an embezzlement case that he argues was fabricated. |
| The Democratic Coalition led by him is only allowed to stand for election in the region of Kostroma, about 350km (215 miles) north-east of Moscow,. | |
| In an interview with the AFP news agency on Sunday night, Navalny said the coalition's exit polls showed it had received 6% of the vote, sufficient to get a candidate into the regional legislature. | In an interview with the AFP news agency on Sunday night, Navalny said the coalition's exit polls showed it had received 6% of the vote, sufficient to get a candidate into the regional legislature. |
| Opposition struggles with smears and isolation | Opposition struggles with smears and isolation |
| The Russian parliament - or Duma - has been stripped of any real opposition under President Vladimir Putin, whose approval rating remains consistently high. | The Russian parliament - or Duma - has been stripped of any real opposition under President Vladimir Putin, whose approval rating remains consistently high. |
| The elections will reveal the mood of Russians after more than a year of financial hardship caused mostly by low oil prices and Western sanctions over Moscow's alleged military role in Ukraine. | The elections will reveal the mood of Russians after more than a year of financial hardship caused mostly by low oil prices and Western sanctions over Moscow's alleged military role in Ukraine. |
| The Democratic Coalition's campaign has not been easy - with minimal coverage on the state media and accusations that they are working for the US, reports the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Russia. | The Democratic Coalition's campaign has not been easy - with minimal coverage on the state media and accusations that they are working for the US, reports the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Russia. |
| Coalition candidates were barred from participating in legislative contests in the Kaluga, Magadan, and Novosibirsk regions. | Coalition candidates were barred from participating in legislative contests in the Kaluga, Magadan, and Novosibirsk regions. |
| The opposition say this was because of technicalities cited by officials in a politically motivated bid to prevent them from standing. | The opposition say this was because of technicalities cited by officials in a politically motivated bid to prevent them from standing. |
| On Saturday, Navalny posted on Facebook (in Russian) about a crackdown on opposition members in Kostroma, saying he expected "major falsifications" in the polls. | On Saturday, Navalny posted on Facebook (in Russian) about a crackdown on opposition members in Kostroma, saying he expected "major falsifications" in the polls. |
| Russia's main opposition groups combined forces in April, nearly two months after the murder of Mr Nemtsov, who was shot dead while walking with his girlfriend near the Kremlin. | Russia's main opposition groups combined forces in April, nearly two months after the murder of Mr Nemtsov, who was shot dead while walking with his girlfriend near the Kremlin. |
| The coalition, campaigning under Mr Nemtsov's party name Parnas, hopes the elections will be a springboard for the 2016 national parliamentary vote. | The coalition, campaigning under Mr Nemtsov's party name Parnas, hopes the elections will be a springboard for the 2016 national parliamentary vote. |