Invitation to the public discussion "Russian elections to Duma - preparation for the Presidential elections?"

INVITATION

European Platform for Democratic Elections and German Council on Foreign Affairs are holding a podium discussion on the topic:

"Russian elections to Duma - preparation for the Presidential elections?",

which will take place on September 21, 2016, from 12:30 till 14:00

(small lunch from 12:00 till 12:30)

 in DGAP at Rauchstrasse 17/18, 10787 Berlin.

In the context of the 2011 parliamentary elections, huge demonstrations against election fraud and the Putin's system were held in Moscow and St. Petersburg. After Putin's re-election as President in 2012, the Russian authorities have organized number of restrictive measures against local NGOs, independent media, increased control over the Internet resources and limited the election monitoring in order to prevent similar events in the future. Today Putin’s rating is still higher than 80 percent, although the people's discontent is growing in the context of economic situation.

What signal effects are coming from the parliamentary to the presidential elections? To what extent is the Kremlin prepared for all eventualities? What scope do the opposition, election observers and NGOs have at the moment in Russia?

Speakers Ilya Ponomarjow, member of the Russian Parliament in 2007-2016, Andrey Buzin, member of the Board of the Movement for Defence of Voters' Rights "Golos", Benjamin Bidder, journalist from the Spiegel Online, and Denis Volkov, Lewada Centre, together with Stefan Meister will try to find answers to these questions during the discussion of the results of the upcoming elections to the Russian Parliament.

Simultaneous translation and a small lunch will be provided. The languages of the podium discussion will be German and Russian.

In order to participate please register at loeva@dgap.org or send a fax to 030 25 42 31-91.