Russia's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by the Yabloko party, finalizing its removal from the nationwide party-list ballot for the upcoming State Duma elections.
Key facts
- •The Supreme Court ruling finalized the removal of Yabloko from the nationwide party-list ballot for the September State Duma elections.
- •Yabloko was disqualified due to alleged copyright violations and the receipt of foreign campaign funding.
- •The party chairman, Nikolai Rybakov, announced plans to appeal the decision to the Constitutional Court.
- •Yabloko candidates are still permitted to run in single-member districts, though the party is not currently represented in parliament.
- •The party’s platform focused on an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, freedom of information, and ending political repression.
The Russian Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from the liberal Yabloko party, upholding a lower court decision to cancel the registration of its federal candidate list for next month’s State Duma elections. The ruling, which is now final, removes the party from the nationwide ballot, though its candidates remain eligible to run in single-member districts.
By the numbers
Reasons for Disqualification
The Supreme Court originally disqualified Yabloko from the September parliamentary elections earlier this month. The court cited copyright violations during campaign activities and alleged breaches of campaign finance laws, specifically claims that the party accepted funding from abroad.
Party Response and Future Legal Action
Yabloko chairman Nikolai Rybakov criticized the court proceedings, describing the hearing as an imitation of a legal process. He stated that the party intends to file an appeal against the Supreme Court ruling with Russia’s Constitutional Court. Rybakov also indicated that the party is developing a 'plan B' for supporters who are now unable to vote for the party’s list, though he provided no specific details on those alternatives.
Electoral Context
Yabloko has been campaigning on a platform calling for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, freedom of information, and an end to political repression. It was the only registered party running on a pro-peace platform. Under Russian law, 225 of the State Duma’s 450 seats are allocated to parties that receive more than 5% of the vote, while the remaining 225 seats are decided in single-member constituencies.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Moscow Times.
