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Editorial Note: This article was originally published in  «Moskovsky Komsomolets in Tula.» It was later removed following criticism from regional authorities in response to the 2021 protests. The text is republished here as part of an archival project.

Young Russian political activists discussed issues related to young people’s trust in the modern political party system. The discussion took place at the editorial office of Moskovsky Komsomolets in Tula on February 5, 2021. We talked about young people’s attitudes toward new parties and their roles in the upcoming political season. 

What are the problems with Russia’s party system?

Alexander Dontsov, chairman of the youth branch of the Russian Society of Political Scientists in the Tula Region and a political scientist and analyst, believes that the Russian party system has outlived its usefulness. However, the current political forces have no plans to change it for personal reasons.

“Young people and most rally attendees are completely disillusioned with the current political system, so they are not willing to support any of the existing political parties. Moreover, no efforts were made before 2020 to create alternatives for them. They only had Navalny and perhaps the Libertarian Party of Russia. There was no legitimate alternative agenda. The emergence of new political parties and the revitalization of the Yabloko party could legitimize youth participation in politics. However, this is not exactly what the current political elite wants, as unpopular parties will start to lose badly. Both the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and the Spravedlivaya Russia party will gradually lose influence. This explains why no one wants to get involved. The political elite do not want to lose their power for personal gain,” he says.

Alina Balabolina, a member of the Spravedlivaya Russia Youth Council and the Youth Parliament, shares Alexander’s opinion:

“Currently, the system is stable: United Russia holds the majority, there’s a “pocket opposition” that reliably gains votes, and everyone is satisfied. Everyone gets their fair share. How can we influence this? Alexei Navalny’s “Smart Voting” strategy isn’t so bad. If we empower the genuine opposition by breaking United Russia’s monopoly, we can motivate parliamentary parties to challenge the current system, as they will want to increase their power. Right now, they aren’t driven to seek more authority—why attack the hand that feeds them? That’s why participating in elections is necessary,” Alina concluded. 

Daniil Emelyanov, head of the youth organization of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, “Vremya Molodykh” (Time of Youth), and a member of the Youth Parliament, disagrees with the term “pocket opposition.”

“Pocket opposition” is a journalistic cliché. Protest voting is not a new idea created by bloggers or Alexei Navalny. For example, in Khabarovsk, people voted for Furgal not because of “smart voting,” but simply as a form of protest vote. In 2020, spoiler parties emerged to disrupt the electoral process. These parties received only a small share of the vote. They have no official leaders; some appointed individuals run them,” Daniil retorted.

Is it worth hoping for new parties?

Alexander Dontsov suggested that the new parties are more likely a project of the Presidential Administration. 

“They are not contenders for the votes of the established parties. They exist to meet young people’s demand for new political options. I conducted a small study that led me to conclude that young people want legitimate processes. The emergence of new political groups—New People, For Truth! (no longer), the Direct Democracy Party, and the Green Alternative—serves to divert the electorate from the “non-systemic” opposition. In other words, they are not competitors for the parliamentary parties. They are there to disperse the protest vote. 

Of the new parties, only the “New People” party has demonstrated the ability to survive. They will be as involved as possible in the political process. I will not comment on the Direct Democracy Party, because its name already contains a term that is impossible to realize in the modern world. Green Alternative is a party with an excellent and relevant agenda, but one that they do not want to implement effectively. Environmental issues are a critical topic for young people. 

The involvement of new political parties in disorganized protests is a way to stabilize the country’s political climate and demonstrate their loyalty to citizens who distrust the political system. Any political group can utilize protests for its own advantage. Ignoring them is unusual. After all, it’s a way to attract voters,” Alexander says.

“Established parties can only condemn unruly protests. For most people, a party is a political tool. I know many United Russia members who dislike what is happening, but they realize that United Russia has the resources. They want to help people, and they believe that through this party, they can achieve this goal. Therefore, I am not so categorical about United Russia,” Alina noted.

In the Beautiful Future Russia, there should be political competition

“Democracy does not operate on the idea that some people are good and others are bad. Instead, democracy is based on the idea that everyone is flawed and needs to be compelled to work for the good of society. In other words, it doesn’t matter who’s in power: Navalny, Putin, Medvedev, or someone else. They will all act in their own interests. However, in a democratic system, specific procedures force them to serve the interests of society. 

The ideal future for Russia involves political competition. Someone in a comfortable position knows they want to keep enjoying it, but they face an opponent who could take it away. So, they need to do something for the good of society to get re-elected. This is how democratic procedures work,” Alexander Dontsov says.