MOSCOW, March 3. The President of Russia Vladimir Putin has formed a five members of the CEC, which was not included the current head of the Central election Commission Vladimir Churov. In the Kremlin called it a departure from the CEC’s natural rotation. Experts note an increase in the composition of the Commission among the representatives of non-parliamentary parties and designated on a post of the Chairman of the Commission Ella Pamfilova.
Changes in the composition
The Central election Commission of the Russian Federation is formed for a term of five years.
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In her group of 15 people, five of which are approved by the state Duma, five by the Federation Council, and the remaining five by the President of the Russian Federation. The Federation Council and the Duma has made their choice more 10 February.
From the Federation Council the Commission consisted of Senator Nikolay Bulaev, publicist Alexander Klyukin, as well as current members of the CEC Maya Grishina (previously held by the quota of the President of the Russian Federation), Siyabshah Sapiev and Anton Lopatin. The faction in the state Duma also decided on their quota. From them to the CEC will be presented to the Vice-speaker Nikolai Levichev (“Fair Russia”), deputies Sergey Sirotkin (LDPR) Valery Galchenko, as well as current members of the CEC Evgeny Kolyushin (Communist party) and Valery Kryukov (“United Russia”).
Part of the “presidential five” became the Commissioner for human rights in Russia Ella Pamfilova, a current member of the CEC Boris Ebzeev, the Deputy of the state Duma from the CPRF Vasily Likhachev, Deputy head of the Federal Antimonopoly service Alexander Kinev (“Apple”), the representative “Patriots of Russia” in the CEC Evgeny Shevchenko.
Who’s next?
The absence in the President’s list the name of the current head of the CEC Churov gave to the expert community to discuss a possible candidate for the vacated post. According to many experts, it may take Pamfilova. “I think the appointment of Ella Alexandrovna Pamfilova to the CEC members strong and decisive step to ensure the fairness and transparency of elections, in 2016 (the Duma) and presidential elections in 2018. Hopefully, the CEC members will elect Ella Alexandrovna Chairman. It would be strong and a good sign,” said the Chairman of the presidential Council of the Russian Federation on development of civil society and human rights (HRC) Mikhail Fedotov.
In turn, the President of the Center for strategic communications Dmitry Abzalov considers the appointment Pamfilova, head of the CEC “quite possible”. “She has great experience of advocacy. The basic rate, if it is appointed head of the CEC, will be placed on the monitoring of elections. This suggests that the Federal centre will have to rely primarily on the legitimacy of the elections”, – said the expert.
The possible appointment for the post of head of the CEC Pamfilova called “a good step” and political analyst Alexei Chadayev. “It will be a blow to all those who hoped for a repetition of the scenario of the eleventh of the year by delegitimizing the elections”, – said the expert, referring to “non-systemic opposition, which traditionally makes a claim to the election”. “It’s one thing to fight with Churov, another with Ella Pamfilova, many of which she – own”, – he explained.
However in conversation with journalists the President’s press Secretary Dmitry Peskov did not say whether the Kremlin to offer Pamfilova for the post of head of the CEC.
The signals taken
Experts see in the new composition of the CEC of the RF signal that the priority will be on the election legitimacy and the unacceptability of fraud.
“The absence (in the list of CEC members from the President) of the figure of Vladimir Churov is the signal for the power key (points) in elections is legitimacy,” – said in an interview with political analyst Alexei Makarkin.
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He recalled that “the supervisor is closely linked to the results of the previous elections (to the Duma in 2011 – approx.), the results of which were appealed by the opposition when the people on the street went.” “Since that time much has been done – ranging from cameras to (electoral) areas and to the extent that may already have been given some formal guidance to the regions from the centre which is invalid to maximize the results of the elections at any cost,” – said the expert.
According to him, the CEC Chairperson must have a high degree of trust from all stakeholders of the electoral process. It is this figure, in his opinion, is Ella Pamfilova, “which can become a referee”. “Pamfilova has experience with very difficult human rights of audience, with people who are critical about the authorities, and she, as a public man, was able to win their respect. In this sense, the figure of Pamfilova is successful,” said Makarkin.
This opinion is shared by the President of the Foundation Center of political technologies Igor Bunin. “Ella Pamfilova, most likely, will be appointed head instead of our “wizard” Churov,” suggested he. “This (the inclusion of Pamfilova to the CEC), of course, a strong move of the President”, – said Bunin.
According to him, the new composition of the CEC says that “the problem of the legitimacy of elections and the fight against fraud will be a priority”.
Not to reduce the level of management
The Commission requires vigilant monitoring to increase the level of public trust, says CEC member Boris Ebzeev. “The level of public confidence in the Central election Commission needed to improve. And this is only possible with one essential case – vigilant public control over the activities of the Central election Commission,” he said, adding that appointed by the decree of the President of the new CEC members “have great experience”.
Speaking about the work of the new head of the Commission, Ebzeev stressed that it would be necessary to try to “level the leadership did not fall”. He called the work of Vladimir Churov excellent.
Another CEC member, representative of the party “Fair Russia” Nikolay Levichev has noticed that in the new composition of the Commission included representatives of the former leadership of the Central election Commission. “This means that the leadership in any case will be fully renovated. There is time for consultations and to reach mutually acceptable and consistent configuration management of the CEC to show the most strengths of all members and to minimize possible disagreement about private moments of the electoral law”, – says the Vice-speaker of the state Duma. “I hope that it will be compatible professional team, credible and competent authority”, – he added.
According to Levicheva, the composition of the CEC is “quite workable structure”. “When you look at the overall picture – and I want to say – solitaire converged”, – said the Deputy. According to him, the new composition of the Central election Commission “is able to make a significant step forward in terms of ensuring the legitimacy of elections”.
All parties important
The appointment of a representative of the major non-parliamentary parties – “Patriots of Russia” – a member of the Central election Commission of the Russian Federation suggests that the non-parliamentary parties also play a large role in the political life of the country, according to the representative “Patriots of Russia” in the CEC Evgeny Shevchenko, delegated by the President in the new Commission.
“I think that the appointment of a representative of a leading non-parliamentary party of Russia (member of CEC), the President has shown that non-parliamentary parties have become increasingly influential political force in the life of our country,” said Shevchenko, who since 2007 has worked in CEC as a representative of the party “Patriots of Russia” he is the head of control-revision Commission.
Shevchenko stressed that the 10 non-parliamentary parties have factions in regional parliaments, representatives of 36 non-parliamentary parties work in the municipal authorities.
“I think this decision, the President has shown that multi-party system in Russia took place,” he concluded.
