United Russia

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Vladimir Putin with United Russia emblem in the background

United Russia (Yedinaya Rossiya, Russian Единая Россия, the more correct translation is Unified Russia) is a political party in Russia, which usually labels itself centrist. It backs the president, Vladimir Putin and can be seen as his vehicle in the Duma (the lower house of Russian parliament). It was founded in April 2001 as a merger between Yuriy Luzhkov's, Yevgeny Primakov's and Mintimer Shaeymiev's Fatherland - All Russia party, and the Unity Party of Russia, led by Sergei Shoigu and Alexander Karelin.

United Russia is a relatively new party in the Russian parliament but has been making great gains in recent federal and local elections due to the popularity of Putin.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation still commands the loyalty of many older citizens.

In the 2003 parliamentary elections it polled 37% of the party vote. As of January 2005 it controls 305 Duma seats out of 450, which gives it a constitutional majority. United Russia members also make up 88 out 178 delegates in the Federation Council of Russia (the upper house of parliament). In the 2004 presidential election United Russia supported Vladimir Putin and contributed to his victory.

A number of ministers in Putin's government as well as many regional governors and other senior government officials throughout Russia are members of United Russia. The party is often called "the party of bureaucracy" by its opponents.

The current head of the United Russia is Duma speaker and former Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov, elected as a party leader in November 2002. On its official website the party claims to have 935 000 members.

Demonstration in support of President Putin's reforms organized by United Russia

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