Russia polls to be litmus test

Local elections were held across Russia on the 14 March 2010 in what analysts say are a litmus test of new political freedoms promised by President Dmitry Medvedev, as well as a barometer of the popularity of the Kremlin-backed United Russia party.

The vote, in 76 of Russia’s 83 provinces, was mainly orderly, but independent election monitor Golos said they saw no improvement on earlier polls which were marred by fraud and official harassment.

ESO: Background information: Russian opposition claims local polls stolen http://www.europeansources.info/record/russian-opposition-claims-local-polls-stolen/

ITAR-TASS, 14.3.10: Russia to hold elections, referenda in 76 regions http://www.itar-tass.com/en/

Deutsche Welle, 15.3.10: Putin's United Russia Party punished at the ballot box http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5354277,00.html

ITAR-TASS, 15.3.10: All four parliamentary parties win seats in regional legislatures http://www.itar-tass.com/en/

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