Observing elections in Russia

Dr Cameron Ross, an expert in Russian politics from the Department of Politics, recently led a group of five Scottish MPs and MSPs on a trip to Russia where they were acting as official election observers for elections to the national parliament.

As accredited election observers, the team oversaw and monitored election proceedings by visiting polling stations and witnessing the final ballot count at the Central Election Commission. The group travelled to Moscow and Tver to meet Duma members and Moscow City Council officials. They also visited the Institute for Electoral Systems Development for a pre-election briefing.

Dr Ross said, "This was a very positive second round of what has been a very successful exchange programme. All of the participants have spoken positively about the programme and I hope that it will not stop here.

We are now in a very good position to capitalise on the success of this programme to build new links and to generate more concrete economic and cultural ties. In particular I think Leonid Roketskii from the Federation Council and the officials in Tver would be open to new initiatives. I would hope that we could bring them to Scotland to meet members of the local political and business communities."

top right: Meeting with Farida Gainullina, Deputy Head of the United Russian faction in the Russian Parliament (State Duma) in the offices of United Russia.

middle: A first time voter receives a present from the head of the local polling station in central Moscow.

right: Marlyn Glen MSP examines the voting ballets for elections to State Duma and Moscow Mayor Elections.

http://www.mglen.org.uk/m/index.htm