Opposition Candidate Barred from Elections in Russia
By Jane Clark
February 1, 2008 | Printer Friendly

As reported in the Washington Post, Russian election officials have barred opposition candidate and former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov from the upcoming presidential election in March, alleging that he forged signatures to get his name on the ballot.  Russian electoral law states that if more than five percent of two samples are false, the candidate will automatically be disqualified.  The Central Election Commission is claiming that thirteen percent of the signatures were forged.  Kasyanov believes the decision was influenced by President Vladimir Putin, in order to prevent further competition against Putin’s hand selected candidate, Dmitry Medvedev.  Kasyanov is quoted as saying, “The hopes that the political process will develop within the constitutional field have not been justified.”

A January 29, 2008 New York Times article reports that former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has criticized the Russian electoral system and has called for extensive reforms.  These criticisms came just after Kasyanov was barred from the election process.  Although his comments did not address Kasyanov specifically, the timing was “pointed and provocative.”  Among the reforms that Gorbachev recommends are an end to exclusively party list elections to decrease the control of party leaders and allow for the participation of individuals, and a return to direct public elections for governors.

According to a January 31, 2008 New York Times article, European election monitors are also criticizing the election process.  They have threatened to boycott the vote, believing that the Russian government was placing unreasonable restrictions on their work.  Election observers say that the government will not allow them into the country until two days before the election, which will not give them enough time or access to sufficiently assess the process.  The Russian government has also restricted the number of observers allowed.  If the restrictions are not lifted or compromised, the observers will call off the mission.

Russian elections are scheduled to occur on March 2, 2008.  As reported by BBC News, the candidates remaining are Medvedev of the United Russia Party, Gennady Zyuganov of the Communist Party, Vladimir Zhirinovsky of the Liberal Democratic Policy, and Andrei Bogdanov of the Democratic Party, who is believed to be backed by the Kremlin in order to split the opposition vote.  Medvedev is expected to win by a landslide.

References:

Washington Post: Election Officials Bar Putin's Ex-Premier from Presidential Race
 
New York Times: Gorvachev, Rebuking Putin, Criticizes Russian Elections

New York Times: European Election Monitors May Boycott Russia Vote

BBC News: Rivals in Kremlin Race