MOSCOW, January 22. The state Duma adopted in the first reading the draft law on the introduction of mandatory participation in televised debates for all candidates. The initiative was developed by the Vice speaker of the lower house from the faction “United Russia” Sergei Neverov.
See also
The Duma Committee supported a ban to use “the image of another person” when campaigning
As noted in the explanatory Memorandum to the bill, proposed to establish “the necessity of participation of electoral associations and registered candidates for joint campaign events (debates) on the channels of state and municipal TV and radio broadcasting organizations”. At the same time “provides the possibility of personal participation in the debate.” “Now, as you know, debate can and (third) person on behalf of political parties. It will be excluded”, – explained to journalists the state Duma speaker Sergei Naryshkin. The bill also stipulates that in the event of a breach of requirements for mandatory participation of an electoral Association, a candidate in the debate, due to them airtime goes to the opponent (opponents).
“The project is aimed at raising awareness of voters about the candidates, identifying and supporting opinion leaders”, – stated in the accompanying documents. The provisions of the bill apply to elections at all levels, except the presidential election. The main amendments made to the laws on elections to the state Duma and “On basic guarantees of electoral rights and the right to participate in referendum of citizens of the Russian Federation”.
As stated Neverov, introducing the draft law, “it is important that every citizen got an idea of who he will give his voice.” “It is necessary to create conditions for openness and competition in the elections. The debate is one of the key components,” said Vice-speaker.
The MP considers, incorrectly, “when campaigning for the party who himself is not involved in the elections”. “A required personalization of the candidate. A situation in which the candidate will be hiding behind the other – clearly not for the benefit of our citizens. Citizens have the right to see their candidate after election and before,” says the author.
In turn, the Deputy Chairman of the profile Committee on constitutional legislation and state construction Dmitry Vyatkin said that the adoption of the draft law will enhance “the integrity, transparency, legitimacy, trust, in the end, the highest legislative body and other bodies of legislative (representative) authorities to be established”.
DG says the electoral legislation before the parliamentary elections
The state Duma also passed in first reading a draft law aimed at improving the regulatory framework for the conduct of elections of deputies of the state Duma and combined them with regional and municipal elections. Its author was made by first Deputy Chairman of state Duma Committee on constitutional legislation and state construction Dmitry Vyatkin (“United Russia”).
See also
The last session of the state Duma: a time for hard choices, not populism
As stated in the explanatory Memorandum, the bill is aimed at addressing issues identified during the monitoring of law enforcement in 2014-2015, “improvement of a consistent legal framework to allow for the election of the deputies of the State Duma and combined them with regional and municipal elections”.
“Proposals for the amendment of legislative acts is also due to the fact that, since the publication of the Federal law “On elections of deputies of the State Duma” making legislative changes related to the adoption of this law was not carried out in full”, – stated in the document.
In particular, it is proposed in the political parties act to clarify when the notice of election commissions on conducting activities related to the nomination of a political party or structural unit of the candidates.
A number of amendments aimed at clarifying the status of candidate nominated in single mandate (multi-member) constituencies, including clarifies that a person receives the status of a candidate after submission to directly to the district election Commission of documents under the law.
Also, the draft law aims at the uniform use of names of electoral associations in elections at any level, by analogy with the election of deputies of the State Duma.
At the same time the amendments adopted eliminated the possibility of foreclosure of funds on special election accounts and accounts of funds for the referendum and the seizure of such funds. Also abolished the need for age labelling of pre-election campaign materials, and to individuals who are not individual entrepreneurs are prohibited from providing services for their fabrication.
