The Russian Presidential Election 2018 Nicholas Cobb – Chairman, Westminster Russia Forum

Overview – Assessing the Russian Presidential Election of March 2018 About the Westminster Russia Forum The facts and figures of the Russian 2018 Presidential Election – an Overview Russian Presidential Election Results 2000 – 2018 Assessing the March 2018 Result in Detail The Results OSCE Findings Duma – Foreign Affairs Committee Delegations and Swiss Election Observer Case Study UK – Russia Bilateral Relations (Optional if time) Questions

Introducing the Westminster Russia Forum – Going Against the Grain… For more information please visit www.Westminster-Russia.org.uk The United Kingdom's Premier UK-Russia Bilateral Affairs Think Tank The Westminster Russia Forum (WRF) is a UK based voluntary group and UK-Russia think tank. Funded by its membership and founded in 2012 to promote a greater cultural, commercial and political understanding between the UK and Russian Federation the WRF is now the only organisation of its kind in the UK promoting ties between the UK & Russia. The WRF’s membership is an international one although most members are drawn from the UK and Russia as well as the Former Soviet Union and we regularly organise networking events with a wide range of high level speakers from across the cultural, political and commercial fields. Key Activities: The Thaw – Blog and Forum Events Bilateral Affairs Conference Lobbying to promote neutral bilateral affairs - Brexit trade paper and report – lost opportunities / Russpohobia awareness campaign Support partners

The facts and figures of the Russian 2018 Presidential Election – an Overview Held on Sunday 18th March 2018 Previous election held in 2012 and next scheduled for 2024 Usually held on second Sunday of March All registered voters must be 18 years of age Who Can Stand for President? Any Russian citizen without dual nationality Must have lived consistently in the RF for 10 years and be aged 35 and above For those parties registered and present in the state Duma – can automatically select a candidate Parties registered but not present in the Duma – 100,000 signatures are needed Independent candidates require 300,000 signatures with no more than 7500 signatures from each Federal Region The electoral process is overseen by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation 2018 official turnout – 67.54% (up by 2.29% on 2010) with a total registered number of votes cast at 109,012.315 persons

The Work of the Central Election Commission Founded in 1993 Headquartered on Moscow Role – Superior oversight body for the delivery, planning and regulation of Federal elections – v similar to our own electoral commission It consists of 15 members - The President of Russia, State Duma and Federation Council of Russia each appoint five members. In turn, these members elect the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Secretary. The Commission is in power for a four-year term. Manage the process and structure of all Federal elections – in total around 91,400 across the RF Currently headed since 2016 by Ella Parfilova – former Duma representative Have to deliver smooth elections across the entirety of the country – 17.1 mn KM – there will inevitably be infractions of the rules an procedures… To help ensure procedures are followed and to cut back on potential electoral fraud 182,800 cameras installed

Russian Elections ‘At a Glance’ / Electoral Media

Russian Presidential Elections – 2000 - 2018 2004 2008 2012 2018 Turnout 68.8% 64.3% 69.7% 65.25 67.54% Incumbent Vladimir Putin Independent 53.4% 39,740,439 71.9% 49,558,388 Dmitry Medvedev United Russia 52,530,712 65.25% 46,612,075 All Russian Peoples Front 76.6% 56,430,712 Candidate 2 Gennady Zyuganov Communist Party 29.5% 21,928,47 Nikolay Khantonov Communist party 13.8% 9,515,554 18% 13,243,550 17.2% 12,318,353 Pavel Grudinin 11.7% 8,659,206 Candidate 3 Grigory Yavlinsky Yabloko 5.9% 4,351,452 Sergey Glazonov 4.1% 2,850,00 Vladimir Zhirinovsky LDRP 9.5% 6,988,510 Mikhail Prokhorov 8.0% 5,727,508 5.65% 4,154,985

Russian 2018 Presidential Electoral Results Number of voters enrolled on the electoral register 109,008,428   Number of voters who took part in the voting 73,578,992 67.5% Surnames, names and patronymics of the registered candidates included in the voting paper Votes cast for each registered candidate absolute value as percentage of the number of voters who took part in the voting BABURIN Sergei Nikolayevich 479,013 0.65 GRUDININ Pavel Nikolayevich 8,659,206 11.77 ZHIRINOVSKY Vladimir Volfovich 4,154,985 5.65 PUTIN Vladimir Vladimirovich 56,430,712 76.69 SOBCHAK Ksenia Anatolievna 1,238,031 1.68 SURAYKIN Maxim Alexandrovich 499,342 0.68 TITOV Boris Yurjevich 556,801 0.76 YAVLINKSY Gregory Alekseyevich 769,644 1.05

Findings of the OSCE & Independent Observer Case Study The OSCE & independent observer Case Study generally draw the same conclusions, namely: The March 2018 Presidential election took place in an orderly legal and political framework marked by continued pressure on internal critical voices The Central Election Commission made great efforts to boost voter turnout, with some notable success – turnout was moderately increased but restrictions on the fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression as well as candidate registration remains in place Candidates could generally campaign freely without hinderance Most candidates expressed their certainty in the outcome of the election incumbent – the elections were seen to be free to a point but lacking real competition The legal and technical aspects of the elections were efficiently administered and within the deadlines The CEC held regular public meetings to address issues of voter coercion raised by the ODIHR – notable steps forward had been identified and actioned since 2012 Some confusion due to the highly complex nature of Russian electoral law Television and media outlets owned by or affiliated to the state remain the dominant source of political information – a restrictive legislative and regulatory framework induces self censorship Obervers were able to carry out their work unhindered with 160 in country long term placements Campaign environment – Outdoor campaigning remained low key – candidates and proxies were allowed to campaign freely within the accepted boundaries with rallies and gatherings taking place on social media, in study / work places as well as some door to door campaigning Themes of the economy, self sufficiency, corruption and the countries international position were the core points campaigned on Several instances of harassment of the workers and supporters of Alexi Navalny (and some other candidates) by police and other state bodies were reported – Alexei Navalny called for an electoral strike

Conclusions The election was moderately free but not necessarily fair The incumbent had undue media and resource bias The election was held in an orderly and efficient manner – monitoring missions were positively encouraged All legal and technical norms were observed Candidates had access to public debates – but – there was a prevailing bias behind the incumbent For a multitude of reasons the incumbent enjoys considerable support High level of apathy Russia is not alone – similarities with states of similar democratic maturity Infringements will always occur Russian democracy is only 29 years old… the need for critical friends rather than critics.

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