Russian democracy

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All Signs Point to Runaway Election Fraud in Russia: WSJ Analysis
All Signs Point to Runaway Election Fraud in Russia
WSJ ANALYSIS
Dec 28, 2011 5:55 AM CST

All Signs Point to Runaway Election Fraud in Russia

Analysis shows 100% turnout in many districts, indicates ballot-stuffing

(Newser) - The bad news just keeps rolling in for Pooty-Poot: The Wall Street Journal took a long, hard look at Russia's Dec. 4 elections and finds solid indicators of major, widespread, in-your-face fraud—by one measure, casting doubt on some 14 million of the 65.7 million votes purportedly cast....

Medvedev Rips 'Provocateurs, Extremists'

President offers some reforms, but opposition says not enough

(Newser) - Outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev used his final state-of-the-nation address today to offer reforms in the wake of the massive protests and upheaval that have gripped the country since the Dec. 4 parliamentary elections , but he also railed against the "provocateurs and extremists" who threaten stability, reports the AP...

Putin's Party Walloped in Russian Vote

May lose majority in parliament

(Newser) - Vladimir Putin's grand plans to be Russia's next president may have hit a snag: The PM's United Russia party suffered a major setback in parliamentary elections held today, reports Reuters , securing only 48.5% of the vote amid allegations of widespread voter fraud. That marks a significant...

Putin Officially Running for Prez

United Russia party nominates him to run in March elections

(Newser) - Vladimir Putin has decided that he'd like to be Russia's top dog again, so his United Russia party today obliged him by formally nominating him to run for president in March's elections. Pooty-poot, who has relegated himself to the No. 2 prime minister job since 2008, has...

Tyrant Putin's Return Bad News
 Tyrant Putin's Return Bad News 
OPINION
Sep 26, 2011 11:52 AM CDT

Tyrant Putin's Return Bad News

He's made Russian elections a farce

(Newser) - The editors of the Washington Post congratulated Vladimir Putin today “on his exciting, come-from-behind victory to become Russia’s next president ,” won after a brilliant and moving electoral campaign. “Oh, no, wait. That’s not how things work in Russia today. Actually, the story is simpler: Vladimir...

Russian Opposition Party Barred From Elections

Pledges to open government just empty promises, say opposition leaders

(Newser) - Multiparty democracy continues to be a tad elusive in modern Russia, at least according to opposition leaders who had their application to register a new political party turned down by the Justice Ministry today, effectively banning them from participating in coming elections, reports the AP . The Justice Ministry provided several...

McCain Takes Hard Line on Putin's Russia

Unlike opponents, candidate wants to boot Moscow from G8

(Newser) - John McCain says he favors expelling Russia from the G8 and forming a "league of democracies" to confront Moscow about rights abuses. The Republican candidate has fallen in with hard-line advisers, spurning pragmatists who favor dialogue and taking a tougher approach than his Democratic rivals. As Dmitry Medvedev prepares...

Gorbachev Goes Easy on Putin, for Now

Ex-leader defends prez, even as Kremlin rolls back democracy

(Newser) - Gorbachev remains pals with Putin, even as the Russian prez pares back reforms that Gorbachev holds dear, the Wall Street Journal reports. The former leader reserves his blame for the Kremlin, and spares Putin, calling him "a very normal person"—even after Moscow shut down Gorbachev's political party...

Putin Rips West's 'Dirty Tricks'
Putin Rips West's 'Dirty Tricks'
Nov 22, 2007 4:26 AM CST

Putin Rips West's 'Dirty Tricks'

Accuses foreign governments of funding rival parties

(Newser) - Russian President Vladimir Putin told a crowd of cheering supporters that opponents of his United Russia party are in the pay of foreign governments bent on weakening the nation, reports the Times of London. He ripped opponents as "jackals" who "slink through foreign embassies" and learn from "...

Rice Criticizes Putin's Iron Fist
Rice Criticizes Putin's Iron Fist
Oct 13, 2007 2:36 PM CDT

Rice Criticizes Putin's Iron Fist

She meets with human rights activists in Russia, offers support

(Newser) - Condoleezza Rice criticized the "concentration of power" in the Kremlin today and pledged support to human rights activists, the BBC reported.  In Russia for already-tense talks on a proposed missile defense shield, Rice also questioned the independence of the judiciary. One rights leader, however, said the stain of...

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