The Communist Party of the Russian Federation has developed a new political training program for party communists

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation has developed a new political training program for party activists. Communist students will be reminded of the need to follow the ideologically correct Leninist course and will be presented with political technology tools for working in conditions of multi-day and remote electronic voting (DEG). At the same time, it seems that party members do not yet intend to move away from criticizing the new formats of expression of will. Experts note that in this way the Communist Party of the Russian Federation continues targeted work with its own, albeit rather narrow, electorate.

The program of political studies was approved by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation last week. The party press wrote that the manual was supplemented with the latest ideological theses, in particular appeals, “which explain the position of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation on the events around Ukraine and reveal the reasons for the special military operation.” At the same time, recommendations on the upcoming electoral cycle were included in a separate section in order to “introduce listeners to the theoretical and practical issues of organizing and conducting elections at various levels.”

The election theses incorporated updated ideological guidelines – as Kommersant previously reported, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation intends to actively use the image and legacy of Vladimir Lenin in election campaigns. “Improving the methods of agitation and propaganda and achieving the party’s program goals are directly related to the quality of the ideological and theoretical training of communists,” Secretary of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Central Committee Stanislav Anikhovsky emphasized the importance of the relevant points at the first lesson of the educational cycle. “There is nothing more practical than a good theory: if practice aims to transform society, this work cannot but be meaningfully connected with theory,” said Dmitry Novikov, deputy chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Central Committee, in the same connection.

At the same time, the “political technology” section was supplemented with detailed instructions, including those related to monitoring the voting process. The Central Committee has not yet published updated tools for the upcoming electoral cycle, even for internal use. However, the press secretary of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, State Duma deputy Alexander Yushchenko told Kommersant that the emphasis will be on working in the conditions of the changed electoral legislation. “A three-day period, remote voting, the so-called voting on stumps, the elimination of the institution of members of the electoral commission with the right to an advisory vote,” Mr. Yushchenko listed the main innovations. “Plus, provocations against our observers and activists. (There is work to be done.— “Kommersant”) in these harsh conditions.” During the training process, activists will be introduced to the experience of election campaigns in different regions, taking into account the “work on mistakes” carried out, the deputy added: “Such work is carried out at every election cycle: we take into account shortcomings and draw conclusions.”

Additional materials available in the party media are intended to clearly demonstrate the experience of working in the conditions described by Mr. Yushchenko. Thus, activists are recommended to familiarize themselves with the policy statement of the Central Committee at the opening of the “Red Control” election observation center, as well as several reports on violations at polling stations and administrative opposition to party nominees in elections in constituent entities and municipalities.

At the same time, the Communists, judging by the position of representatives of regional cells interviewed by Kommersant, do not yet intend to abandon harsh criticism of electronic and multi-day formats. Thus, the first secretary of the Perm regional committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Ksenia Aitakova, said that the party’s strategy, like its candidate, will be determined at the party congress in December based on the results of a secret vote, and “regarding the DEG and the three-day vote, the party’s position has not changed.” The first secretary of the Voronezh regional committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Andrei Rogatnev, confirmed the new guidelines for the conduct of election campaigns, making the reservation, however, that they do not affect the overall strategy and are related primarily to the “political situation around the country.”

The Karachay-Cherkess branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation told Kommersant that the party is against three-day voting and the DEG, but “in any case, we will have to work in these conditions,” while the main guidelines for the upcoming cycle remained familiar: “actively work with the electorate on the ground,” “not to give up your plots,” involve young people and “focus on the heroic past.” But Kommersant’s source in the Dagestan branch of the Communist Party is firmly convinced that the strict guidelines against the DEG and the “three-day period” will remain unchanged.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation will be able to benefit from the new formats only if it agrees in advance on the favor of its candidates at the elite level, says political scientist Pyotr Miloserdov. According to the expert, public rejection of the electronic form may be consonant with the opinion of the nuclear electorate of the Communists and, possibly, some other voters whom the party will convince of the validity of such a point of view. “The mass voter doesn’t care whether it’s electronic or not,” Mr. Miloserdov believes.

Political scientist Alexey Makarkin agrees that the addressee of the conservative position on new formats is the core electorate of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, which values ​​ritual and does not accept technological innovations in election procedures: “Outside the electorate of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, very few people are interested in the signals that come from party functionaries and their criticism DEG.” At the same time, internally the party may well be guided by a “rational approach” and, “since nothing can be changed,” look for ways to adapt to new realities, the expert suggests. “We should develop control mechanisms, involve our own observers who have extensive experience in monitoring in-person voting,” argues Mr. Makarkin. “It’s probably possible to offer some methods, but change the public positioning (in terms of formats.— “Kommersant”) makes absolutely no sense: if they start to approve electronic voting, their own (supporters.— “Kommersant”) will lose.”

Grigory Leyba, corset “Kommersant”