On September 8, 2019, President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party suffered a defeat in the elections for the Moscow City Duma, the regional parliament in Russia’s capital. Candidates supported by opposition leader Alexei Navalny won 20 of the 45 seats. Prior to the vote, election authorities had refused to allow many opposition candidates, including well-known critics of the Kremlin, a spot on the ballot. This triggered the largest demonstrations Russia has witnessed in years. The ruling United Russia Party did not officially nominate a single candidate for the Moscow City Duma, as candidates affiliated with the party ran as independents in order to limit their ties to the party. Opposition candidates have celebrated the result while also expressing disappointment around what they perceive as an unfair registration process.
