United Russia Party Increases Its Overwhelming Majorities in Regional and City Assemblies

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Sept. 20 – Many observers are treating the just-completed elections in 11 federal subjects and 24 regional capitals as a test run for the 2026 Duma elections. If that is the case, United Russia, usually identified as the Party of Power, has little to fear; and the prospects of all other parties are becoming ever less good.

            Not only did all of the Kremlin-selected governors win terms, but in the legislative assemblies at the regional and urban levels, the Kremlin’s United Russia Party increased its control from 72.5 percent of the seats in 2020 to 80.4 percent this time around. All other parties, except the new New Peoples Party, saw their shares of the remainder drop.

            In one case, in fact, that of the Magadan city council, United Russia now controls all of the seats; and everywhere else saw its majority increase, leaving the remaining parties with little hope that they will be in a position to use their seats in these councils to boost them next year in the Duma elections (semnasem.org/articles/2025/09/19/oedinorossivanie).

            The only reason for thinking that these other parties have any chance at all of a reasonable showing next year is that participation in this year’s vote was low, likely reflecting the ability of officials to get their United Russia constituents to the polls in disproportionate numbers. They may not be equally dominant in the all-Russia Duma elections (versia.ru/lyudi-teryayut-interes-k-vyboram).