Duma scraps election turnout threshold

Moscow, Nov 17 (UNI) The Russain State Duma today overwhelmingly voted in third and final reading a draft law scrapping the 20 per cent minimum threshold for election turnout, as well as early voting in polls.

The law was passed by 346-99, against a required minimum of 226, with no abstention.

The bill had been sponsored by deputies from the pro-Kremlin United Russia party, Rodina (Motherland) and Liberal Democratic Party0 (LDPR) factions.

In addition to provision barring people convicted of felonies or extremist activities from running in elections, it also bars people with administrative penalties from propagating Nazi slogans and regalia.

The State Duma Committee on Constitutional Law and State Development said earlier that the bill was designed to prevent ''extremist practices'' during election campaigning.

The law bans the use of commercials and appeals to vote against other candidates in election videos.

Commenting on the bill, Russian Communist Party said the abolition of the turnout threshold will make the country's electoral system ''not viable''.

''That will be the final blow from the governing authorities, rendering the term 'election system' utterly meaningless,'' Communist Party Central Committee Deputy Chairman Ivan Melnikov said.

Mr Melnikov said the amendments will distort election results, making the voters themselves irrelevant.

''Under this system, the State Duma will reflect the position of 'ballot-casting individuals,' but not the will of society nor even the position of the majority,'' he added.

UNI XC SI BD1857