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| Protesters are calling for free and fair elections in Russia |
For the
first time since Putin rose to power, tens of thousands of Russians are
protesting his immense power. Demonstrators braved freezing temperatures to
voice their discontent with last weekend's elections.
Tens of
thousands of Russians took to the streets Saturday to protest last weekend's
alleged election fraud and demand an end to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's
hold on power. In parliamentary elections last Sunday, Putin and President
Dmitry Medvedev's United Russia party won an absolute majority that the
opposition claims was exaggerated by ballot stuffing and other manipulation.
At least
15,000 protesters gathered in Bolotnya Square, a large open space across the
Moscow River from the Kremlin assigned by the authorities for the
demonstration.
The people
there held signs with pictures of Medvedev and Putin saying, "Guys, it's
time to go" and waved banners such as "The rats should go!" and
"Swindlers and thieves - give us our elections back!"
 |
| Anti-Putin protesters were met with a heavy police presence in Moscow |
Rallies are
expected in dozens of other cities on the biggest day of protest the country
has seen since Putin came to power in 2000. The authorities largely to permit
them to go ahead nationwide is also a first.
Some 50,000
riot police and troops were deployed in Moscow. Hundreds of security trucks and
buses were parked around the city while helicopters patrolled the skies. Police
blocked the entrance to Red Square with trucks.
A test of
Putin's popularity
Putin has
been Russia's most popular and powerful politician for more than a decade and
the parliamentary elections were meant to be a litmus test of Putin's decision
to run again for president this coming March.
Putin was
president until 2008 when term limits forced him out. After Medvedev took over
the presidency, he then appointed Putin prime minister. Putin however, was
still considered by most observers to be the more powerful of the two.
In
September Putin and Medvedev announced their plan to swap roles, after which
the independent polling agency the Levada Center found Putin's popularity dive.
While
United Russia used to enjoyed a three-quarter majority in the Duma, the
country's lower house of parliament, the party suffered a 15 percent drop in
last weekend's vote. United Russia still holds an absolute majority of 52
percent of vote but the dramatic drop is widely being seen as a sign of
discontent with Putin.
Video
footage shot by ordinary Russians and distributed on YouTube appear to show
ballot stuffing and other widespread election manipulation and have fueled the
protests.
Putin
publicly accepted the tight victory of his party, but accused US Secretary
Hillary Clinton of inciting unrest by questioning the legitimacy of the vote.
Author:
Holly Fox (AFP, Reuters)
Editor: Andreas Illmer
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