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Russian presidential and local parliamentary elections in Ingushetia

By Saida Kantysheva

INGUSHETIA - On March 2 Russian presidential and local parliamentary elections were held in Ingushetia. Voter turnout was said to be high, at 92.32%.

Everyone knew in advance what the results would be – according to official figures, Dmitry Medvedev was far ahead of all the other presidential candidates, leading with 91% of votes, and the United Russia Party held a majority in Ingushetia’s National Assembly, with 74%.

Among the regions of Russia, Ingushetia can be characterized as the most complex in terms of conflict and discontent among the population with election results. The Ingush people have not yet got over their anger at the official figures for voter participation touted by the Electoral Commission at previous elections, and the issues of protest raised during rallies and demonstrations have remained unresolved. But again, in contrast to the statements of some parts of the popular opposition, voter turnout was officially set at a high percentage.

It is difficult to judge the correctness or otherwise of the claimed turnout, and even more difficult to argue with the Electoral Commission and the official authorities, which claim that the elections were good, well-attended and peaceful. According to the opposition, only a small percentage of voters turned up at the polling stations, but this assertion will be practically impossible to prove.

According to my observations, people did go to vote, but not in such large numbers as was asserted. At some polling stations I saw groups of voters (though never more than fifteen at any one time), and in some districts there were no voters to be seen at all. At any rate, the elections are a fait accompli, and are now over.

The parliamentary elections were held on a proportional system, in which the percentage of seats matches the percentage of votes received by the parties. The discontent of some parts of the population is caused by the nomination on party lists of unpopular candidates. Given the fact that single-winner voting was not used in these elections, voters ended up voting for each party as a whole, and the candidates received their mandates in the order in which they were presented on the party lists.

People whom I interviewed said that they did not know which deputies they were voting for. The candidates’ names were not mentioned on the ballot papers, but were posted separately on the polling booths.

There are currently attempts in the republic to create an alternative national assembly by reviving the traditional Mekhk Kkhel (Council of the Land), to which many teyps [clans] have already elected their delegates. Only time will tell how effective it will be and what powers it will have – actual, or only recommendatory. Time will put everything in its place.

(Translation by DM)

(T)

  RELATED ARTICLES:
 · Res publica Ingushetia (PW, 9.2.2008)
 · Ingush public worried about the situation in the republic (PW, 14.12.2007)
 · Views of voters in Ingushetia (PW, 4.12.2007)