Putin Faces Setback in Russian Vote as Wage Growth Shrivels
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Russian voters may inflict the first major electoral setback on Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in a parliamentary vote this weekend, which may prompt the premier to fortify his hold on power and boost public spending.
Putin’s United Russia party may get about 53 percent in Dec. 4 elections to the State Duma, from 64 percent in 2007, according to reports released Nov. 25 by the state-run All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion, or VTsIOM, and the independent Levada center. That would be the first time it fared worse at nationwide polls compared with a previous ballot since its creation by then-President Putin 10 years ago.