Steve Rosenberg: Russia's elections will have few surprises, but for the Kremlin they matter
Russia's upcoming parliamentary elections are expected to result in a predictable victory for the ruling United Russia party, with the Kremlin using the process to consolidate support for the war in Ukraine. Despite the lack of political competition, the Kremlin views the election as a vital tool for legitimizing its power and promoting military veterans.
Why it matters
The election serves as a barometer for domestic support for the Russian government and its ongoing military operations.
Figure caption, Low expectations that Russia's election will bring peace closer, Steve Rosenberg reports
The system of power in Russia is often referred to as "managed democracy" (where the Kremlin does the managing).
That means huge powers for the president and few political surprises.
This weekend's election is set to deliver another parliament dominated by the party of power, United Russia, and a house of MPs fiercely loyal to Vladimir Putin.
Critics dismiss the vote as neither free nor fair.
But the Kremlin doesn't care what the critics say.
"We have our own political system, our own political process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained recently.
That means no curveballs for the Kremlin. No surprises. So no story?
For the Kremlin, the election of 450 deputies to the lower house of parliament, the Duma, is important. This is the first parliamentary election here since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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