The new Duma will be elected in Russia this weekend. Little is likely to change in the majority of the ruling United Russia party. The choice is seen above all as a reflection of satisfaction with the chosen course.

The State Duma election begins in Russia on Friday. For the first time since the start of the Ukraine war, the national parliament will be re-elected. A total of 450 seats will be voted on. Half of the representatives are elected in direct constituencies, the other half via party lists. The election will take place over three days from Friday to Sunday, with earlier voting taking place in areas near the front.

The majority of the ruling United Russia party is not considered to be at risk. It has had a clear majority in the Duma for years and controls large parts of the parliamentary system. The ruling party is currently holding310 of the 450 seats. This time too, it is expected that the party will receive a clear majority.

Anti-war positions are suppressed

The relevance of the election arises primarily from the current situation in Russia. Since the beginning of the war against Ukraine, the domestic political situation has become increasingly dire. Freedom of the press was increasingly restricted and anti-war positions were subjected to repression. In the current election, there is no party with clear positions against the war on the electoral list. The Yabloko Party became the last party to stand for a ceasefire in the upcoming electionexcluded.

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It is difficult to verify exactly how the Russian population feels about this and the war in general. Official figures and impressions usually come either from Russian state institutions, while critical and foreign media usually only report anecdotally or can make vague assessments.

Against this background, the Duma election is now seen primarily as a reflection of how the Russian population deals with the war and current politics. The election is less about political power in parliament and is primarily intended to show whether the Russian population continues to accept the war path that has been taken.

New York Times interviewspaint a picture of increasing insecurity among the Russian population. In addition to the war itself and the possibility of further mobilization, the economic situation also plays a major role, according to these reports. More and more people are unsure how the economic situation will develop and whether their standard of living will be secured.

War course on the backs of the Russian workers

The coming election will take place in a difficult economic phase. After the start of the war, Russia managed to avoid an immediate economic collapse. The extensive government spending on armaments and the military has even allowed parts of the industry to grow significantly. At the same time, the economic crisis is becoming increasingly noticeable in Russia.

The Russian government has significantly revised down its growth expectations for 2026. The Ministry of Economic Affairs only expects oneGross domestic product growthof around 0.6 percent. Last year growth was one percent.

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Russian workers are the ones who suffer most, for whom the effects are particularly evident in prices. Food, fuel and services have become more expensive. Added to this are the long-term consequences of Western sanctions.

Although Russia was able to redirect large parts of its foreign trade to China, India and other countries, the loss of Western markets, technologies and investments continues to have an impact. At the same time, the state is increasingly dependent on high spending to finance the war economy. In return, the Russian state also sold larger quantities of its ownGold reserves.

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