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| Russian election: Putin-backed party well ahead | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| United Russia, backed by President Vladimir Putin, is far ahead in the country's parliamentary election, taking about half the votes, exit polls and partial results suggest. | United Russia, backed by President Vladimir Putin, is far ahead in the country's parliamentary election, taking about half the votes, exit polls and partial results suggest. |
| Mr Putin said the party had "achieved a very good result." | Mr Putin said the party had "achieved a very good result." |
| The nationalist LDPR and the Communist party are way behind United Russia, with about 14-16% each. | The nationalist LDPR and the Communist party are way behind United Russia, with about 14-16% each. |
| Liberal opposition parties appear to have failed to pass the 5% threshold needed for party-list representation. | Liberal opposition parties appear to have failed to pass the 5% threshold needed for party-list representation. |
| However, the exit polls say though they could still get seats in individual constituencies. | However, the exit polls say though they could still get seats in individual constituencies. |
| A VTsIOM exit poll gave United Russia, led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, 44.5%, with the Public Opinion Foundation putting its total higher, at 48.7%. | A VTsIOM exit poll gave United Russia, led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, 44.5%, with the Public Opinion Foundation putting its total higher, at 48.7%. |
| Partial official results later confirmed a large lead. With about half of the ballots counted, United Russia had won more than 50% of the vote. | Partial official results later confirmed a large lead. With about half of the ballots counted, United Russia had won more than 50% of the vote. |
| The two exit polls differed on whether the LDPR or Communists were second, but both were well behind. | The two exit polls differed on whether the LDPR or Communists were second, but both were well behind. |
| A Just Russia was fourth on about 8%. | A Just Russia was fourth on about 8%. |
| These four parties had dominated the last State Duma (lower house). | These four parties had dominated the last State Duma (lower house). |
| Two opposition parties, Yabloko and Parnas, were projected to receive 3.5 and 1.2% respectively. | Two opposition parties, Yabloko and Parnas, were projected to receive 3.5 and 1.2% respectively. |
| The turnout was significantly down from the 2011 elections - just below 40% two hours before voting ended. | The turnout was significantly down from the 2011 elections - just below 40% two hours before voting ended. |
| Election Commission head Ella Pamfilova said she was "fully confident that the elections are proceeding in a quite legitimate way". | Election Commission head Ella Pamfilova said she was "fully confident that the elections are proceeding in a quite legitimate way". |
| Legitimate vote? By Steve Rosenberg, BBC News, Moscow | Legitimate vote? By Steve Rosenberg, BBC News, Moscow |
| In the system of "Managed Democracy" crafted by the Kremlin, it was unthinkable that President Putin's control of parliament would weaken. | In the system of "Managed Democracy" crafted by the Kremlin, it was unthinkable that President Putin's control of parliament would weaken. |
| And so, the four pro-Kremlin parties which dominated the previous parliament will do so again. But will the new parliament be recognised by the public as legitimate? | And so, the four pro-Kremlin parties which dominated the previous parliament will do so again. But will the new parliament be recognised by the public as legitimate? |
| The Russian authorities have tried to present this as one of the cleanest elections in years. Some opposition candidates were permitted to run; a respected human rights advocate was appointed head of the Russian Election Commission. | The Russian authorities have tried to present this as one of the cleanest elections in years. Some opposition candidates were permitted to run; a respected human rights advocate was appointed head of the Russian Election Commission. |
| Yet throughout the day there have been reports of voting fraud - and video to back them up. In some cases, webcams installed at polling stations recorded what appear to be election officials stuffing ballot boxes. | Yet throughout the day there have been reports of voting fraud - and video to back them up. In some cases, webcams installed at polling stations recorded what appear to be election officials stuffing ballot boxes. |
| It was vote-rigging which sparked anti-government street protests after the last parliamentary election. President Putin will be hoping that this time his personal popularity, combined with widespread apathy, will mean that Russians accept the result. | It was vote-rigging which sparked anti-government street protests after the last parliamentary election. President Putin will be hoping that this time his personal popularity, combined with widespread apathy, will mean that Russians accept the result. |
| Allegations of fraud after the last election had sparked large-scale protests against Mr Putin in Moscow and the authorities were anxious to oversee trouble-free polls this time. | Allegations of fraud after the last election had sparked large-scale protests against Mr Putin in Moscow and the authorities were anxious to oversee trouble-free polls this time. |
| Mr Putin has enjoyed 17 years in power as either president or prime minister, and does not belong to any designated party. | Mr Putin has enjoyed 17 years in power as either president or prime minister, and does not belong to any designated party. |
| But he visited the headquarters of United Russia with Mr Medvedev after the vote to congratulate activists on their victory. | But he visited the headquarters of United Russia with Mr Medvedev after the vote to congratulate activists on their victory. |
| "We know that life is hard for people, there are lots of problems, lots of unresolved problems," Mr Putin said. "Nevertheless, we have this result." | "We know that life is hard for people, there are lots of problems, lots of unresolved problems," Mr Putin said. "Nevertheless, we have this result." |
| Crimea votes | Crimea votes |
| Voters were choosing 450 MPs in the State Duma for the next five years. | Voters were choosing 450 MPs in the State Duma for the next five years. |
| But despite Russia's economic malaise and tensions with the West over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, some observers had called the election campaign the dullest in recent memory. | But despite Russia's economic malaise and tensions with the West over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, some observers had called the election campaign the dullest in recent memory. |
| Serious irregularities were reported in one Siberian region, with suggestions of "carousel" voting - people bussed around polling stations - in the city of Barnaul. | Serious irregularities were reported in one Siberian region, with suggestions of "carousel" voting - people bussed around polling stations - in the city of Barnaul. |
| Monitoring group Golos says it had received more than 1,300 complaints from around the country by late afternoon, AP reports. | Monitoring group Golos says it had received more than 1,300 complaints from around the country by late afternoon, AP reports. |
| For the first time, people voted in Crimea, annexed from Ukraine in 2014 in a move condemned internationally. | For the first time, people voted in Crimea, annexed from Ukraine in 2014 in a move condemned internationally. |