President Vladimir Putin has signed off on a law drastically overhauling the country's election law in a reform that will create a mixed system by reintroducing single-mandate elections in the next parliamentary vote.
The bill, which was published on a government portal Monday, replaces the fully closed list proportional system used in the last two elections with voting for individual candidates for half the seats in the 450-member parliament.
Currently unrepresented parties will still have to collect signatures in order to register their participation in elections for the State Duma.
Individual candidates can spend up to 15 million rubles ($420,000) on their campaign, while overall party election spending is capped at 700 million rubles ($20 million).
Electoral reforms introduced by Putin in 2003 and 2004 scrapped voting for individual candidates, as well as direct elections for regional governors. Elections for governors were reinstated in 2012.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.