Prilepin and Mironov cemented a shaky alliance - they will restrain the Communist Party of the Russian Federation
The parties “A Just Russia”, “For Truth” and “Patriots of Russia” held a unification congress today. The project will go to the elections under the brand “A Just Russia – For Truth.” Observers regard the refusal of independent participation in the elections of new patriotic parties as evidence that the authorities have leaned towards a “conservative” scenario for the autumn campaign in the Duma - the old parties will remain there, and the majority of United Russia will be ensured at the expense of single-mandate deputies.
Sergei Mironov remained the head of the association (he also has the majority on the presidium); Zakhar Prilepin and Gennady Semigin became co-chairs.
The question arose about the symbolism of the unification. The emblem almost became a hedgehog, which would be logical, given that the party, which SRZP considers its main competitor, United Russia, has a bear as its symbol.
“As for the emblem of our party, there were a lot of interesting, creative proposals. Believe me, the creativity was very good. Artists, designers and team members sketched out a variety of options. There were no restrictions on creative imagination. And the sun and the sunrise. I liked the hedgehog the most. I just remembered about the hole in the left side, since we are a left-wing party,” said Sergei Mironov.
However, in the end, party members conducted focus groups among potential voters and decided to leave the old symbols - an arrow on a “yellow-gold, sunny background”, which “looks good in winter.”
The plans of the new party, which calls itself socialist, are Napoleonic - to create a powerful political force that will challenge “United Russia” (in fact, experts believe that the true target of the new project will be communists - but more on that below).
“Unite to take second place... Those who do not set great goals do not achieve them. We must defeat United Russia, we must deprive it of its monopoly on power,” said Russian State Duma deputy Valery Hartung, drawing applause.
He believes that the fact that A Just Russia has so far gained 8%, and two more new members of the association have even less ratings, is not a hindrance to the ambitious goal.
“The math doesn't work here. If parties with 3-5-8% unite, this does not mean that together they will take 14%. They may have a total of 50%. Because people are waiting for change. They are tired of the monopoly on power. And they are waiting for a political force that will destroy this monopoly,” Hartung said.
His State Duma colleague Oleg Shein agrees to second place.
“We are realists and understand that in this iteration, taking into account the specifics of vote counting, United Russia will still retain first place. We set the goal to reach the silver line, to second place, so that from this springboard we can fight for first place in our country for the goals of social justice, a social state, social democracy and patriotism,” Shein said.
Co-chairman of the new party Gennady Semigin explained where to find the right votes to form a government.
“I am confident that with a new team, new faces, and perhaps as part of a new government, we will lead voters who do not go to the polls. And this is 40-50%. That’s where our electorate is,” Semigin said.
At the same time, the members of the new political association, apparently, did not even really get to know each other. Zakhar Prilepin, whom Mironov stubbornly called Evgeniy (the writer’s real name) throughout the congress, said that there was “live competition” between his partners. What it will lead to will become clear at the second part of the congress when the election list is formed in a few months.
Observers are skeptical about the prospects of the new project - the association is unlikely to revive A Just Russia, which is losing popularity.
“From the merger of three parties, which, apart from the desire to get into the Duma, have too little in common, it is unlikely that a new “left-of-center” ideology will be born. Similar blocks with a purpose, but without a common philosophy, have little chance of long-term success. Less is more, Lenin said, and he was right,” comments political scientist Alexander Sosnovsky.
His colleague Ilya Grashchenkov believes that the main role of A Just Russia will be to fragment the electorate of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, whose members have recently often identified with supporters of Alexei Navalny.
“Of course, with “hemp technologies” SR has little hope of protecting its real results. That is why the promised and even “guaranteed” 5-10% per party, while restraining the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, is a good exchange for Mironov,” Grashchenkov argues in his blog.
He also predicts conflict within the new association.
“The Social Revolutionaries came to the congress split. On the one hand, “new blood” from Prilepinsky and Semiginsky residents would like to receive up to 50% of the mandates of the united party in the elections, as well as seats in the executive committee and at least two deputies in the party and faction. On the other hand, the “old guard” does not intend to give up power so easily, especially since neither Prilepin nor anyone else is clearly ready for it,” the expert writes.
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