The Real Message From Russia’s Disputed Election
Vladimir Putin had to scramble to get the result he wanted. His efforts leave Russia a darker place than it has been for decades.
He has a lot on his mind.
Photographer: Alexey Druzhinin/AFP via Getty Images
Despite years of fading popularity, the party that backs Russian President Vladimir Putin has won well over two-thirds of the seats in the country’s new parliament. An electoral system that punishes a divided opposition helped — but so too did bans of so-called extremists, doppelganger candidates, pliant Western tech companies and electronic voting, which delivered surging support for United Russia just as key races in Moscow appeared to be going wrong. Social media footage of ballot-stuffing and reports of violations abounded, despite official denials of widespread wrongdoing.
The Kremlin hopes the headline result will project popularity and strength. Don’t be fooled.