Reformers’ Chances Harmed by Their Number of Candidates

Democratic reformers trying to gain control of the new Russian Parliament have hurt their own chances in today’s elections by splintering into four rival parties.

Communist and centrist forces that dominated the old Parliament are represented by two major parties each in the field of 13 parties offering slates of candidates for the 450-seat Duma, or lower house. Half the seats in the Duma will be distributed proportionally among the party slates that get more than 5% of the nationwide vote.

The other Duma seats are to be filled by winners of races in each of Russia’s 225 election districts. Because there are no runoffs, the pro-reform parties tried to make deals to ensure that no more than one of their candidates ran in each district. That effort was only partially successful.

An analysis of the 225 district races shows that Communists, centrists and reformers are all splintered, but the reformers are more so:

* Reformers fielded a single candidate in 73 districts, and more than one candidate in 103 districts.

* Centrists fielded a single candidate in 81 districts, and more than one candidate in 28 districts.

* Communists fielded a single candidate in 68 districts, and more than one candidate in 31 districts.

Most candidates for the 178-seat Federation Council, the upper house, are elected leaders of Russia’s constituent republics and regions. Few are openly affiliated with or backed by any political party.