Russian Party of Life: Political Unisex and Great Ambitions

Chairman of Russia’s Federation Council Sergey Mironov is sure that a faction of the “Russian Party of Life” will appear in the State Duma in 2004. Sergey Mironov told about it at a session of the Party’s regional department on Wednesday; the session was dedicated to summing up the results of the year. Mironov hopes that the party may win support among the population, as it’s main objective is “raising the living standards of the Russian population.” The Federation Council speaker says that the party adheres to the centrist position. He said: “Many people contrast the “Russian Party of Life” with the “United Russia” party, but these parties are allies.”

It is absurd to suppose that the “Party of Life” wants to deprive “United Russia” of some part of the votes; moreover, it wouldn’t be a success with it. Enormous financial investments in the “United Russia” party and the administrative resource will repay right before the next elections. It is not wise and too expensive to promote another party of power. Especially that the authorities have no claims to “United Russia.”

As for the “Russian Party of Life”, side by side with “United Russia”, it will act like a pilot-fish near a large shark; however, the party itself disagree with the opinion. Deputy chairman of the Party’s executive committee Valery Malyshev reported on Wednesday that plans of the party concerning elections to the State Duma correspond its ambitious objectives. He thinks that the figure of 5-7% is not ambitious, ambitions consist in 15%. When a party gets or plans to get less than 15% in the State Duma, it is a reserve type party. “But we are not a reserve party, that is why our objectives are ambitious.” The “Russian Party of Life” is neither of the right-wing nor of the left-wing deviation. Deputy chairman of the Party’s executive committee told journalists on Wednesday: “Concerning some problems, we stick to a more leftist position that the left-wing parties; and in other cases we stick to a more rightist position that the right-wing parties themselves. We don’t conceal the fact that like any other party we aim at the power. Otherwise we would be called a club, not party.” For reference: a constitutive session of the “Russian Party of Life” took place on June 29, 2002; the party has departments in 71 regions of Russia. The department in St.Petersburg is the most numerous; it mostly consists of several public organizations, including the public political movement “St.Petersburg’s Volya” (St.Petersburg’s Will) headed by Federation Council Speaker Sergey Mironov.

Picture: Federation Council Chairman Sergey Mironov

Dmitry Chirkin PRAVDA.Ru

Read the original in Russian: https://www.pravda.ru/politics/9176-mironov/

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