LDPR is building a party-parliamentary vertical
The LDPR is holding a multi-day training event for its deputies in the Moscow region. Several hundred party members exchange parliamentary and political experience, listen to master classes by senior comrades from the State Duma and the Federation Council. The culmination of the rally on Tuesday was the speech of party chairman Leonid Slutsky. It followed from it that, although the results of the Liberal Democrats in the past regional elections exceeded expectations, integration into the emerging party-deputy vertical lies ahead of them.
The dress code of the event participants most clearly reflected the ongoing centralization in the LDPR. At the first workshop for deputies, people's representatives from young to old (that is, from municipal councils to the State Duma) arrived in sweatshirts, vests and sweaters from the latest collection of party merch. They also prepared thoroughly for the appearance of Leonid Slutsky: politicians, like students, were told not to stare at their phones, get off the windowsills, sit down and not be afraid of the drone operator overhead.
But, as it turned out, the elected Liberal Democrats have yet to become students. The culmination of Mr. Slutsky’s speech was the announcement of the start of a pilot “program for the development of deputies.” “I ask you not to take it literally,” he remarked sternly. “This is not mental development, it’s already at the proper level for everyone, since they came to the best party in Russia.” Instead, parliamentarians will develop skills that are useful specifically in parliamentary work. “The main goal is to increase the effectiveness of LDPR deputies for Russian citizens,” said Mr. Slutsky and promised to extend the “intensive” to the entire deputy corps by the 35th anniversary of the party celebrated in December.
The chairman began his speech with thanks. He emphasized the successes of his comrades-in-arms in the last elections in general and, in particular, overtaking their eternal competitors - the communists (see chart). “We elected 1,087 deputies, and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation - only 902,” Leonid Slutsky rejoiced, recalling a lot of “pessimistic cries” that the LDPR is a party of one person that will die with him. “The party has overcome the inevitable crisis period after the loss of our leader, our founding father... Zhirinovsky’s cause lives on!” - the leader of the Liberal Democrats solemnly proclaimed.
The party's ratings are also growing: the LDPR is “almost 1.5% ahead of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.” This means that the strategy of political consolidation “shoulder to shoulder” (including the abandonment of “empty picks” with the authorities in favor of “sound criticism”), which experts also criticized for the loss of opposition and the erosion of the image, bore fruit, and the chairman also praised himself LDPR. Now, he said, it is important to consolidate the successes.
It was here that Mr. Slutsky switched to verticals. He demanded a detailed report on the lawmaking of each deputy and ordered the establishment of a new party body for this purpose - a center for monitoring and development of legislation, which will be responsible for the systematic development of party initiatives at all levels. “In this work, we must build a certain vertical: deputies of municipalities - regional parliaments - the State Duma. And any deputy should have the opportunity to receive support when developing and introducing an initiative,” the LDPR leader explained the essence of the idea. Party lawyers will head and “fill” the structure.
The chambers of deputies created last year, which were called upon to “activate the sometimes rather sluggish and amorphous corps on the ground,” Mr. Slutsky noted: “The work has been launched, but I cannot say that I am completely satisfied with this work.” Next, the party leader announced that very “intensive development” and several more times called on his comrades-in-arms to work hard. “The party must become more effective, otherwise we will go downhill!” - he warned.
