Russians go to the polls this weekend to elect a new State Duma, the lower house of parliament, but the Kremlin has a whole tool kit to make sure it gets the result it wants: that only the ruling United Russia and a few other loyal parties will win seats in the Duma. Brian Whitmore exposes the arsenal of tricks in this special Power Vertical Explainer.
The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL.
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The Power Vertical is a blog written especially for Russia wonks and obsessive Kremlin watchers by Brian Whitmore. It offers Brian's personal take on emerging and developing trends in Russian politics, shining a spotlight on the high-stakes power struggles, machinations, and clashing interests that shape Kremlin policy today. Check out The Power Vertical Facebook page or Follow @PowerVertical