The only question is the timing – Newspaper Kommersant No. 197 (7398) dated 10/22/2022

Despite the imposition of martial law and therefore the ban on holding elections, Russian parliamentary parties still plan to open their regional branches in new territories. United Russia has already held general meetings of its members in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics at the end of the week. Their parliamentary colleagues still find it difficult to name the exact dates of similar events, but do not give up their intention to hold them. Experts believe that, although the activity of parties in the new Russian regions will be limited due to martial law, it still makes sense.

On October 21, United Russia (ER) held a general meeting of its members in the Lugansk People’s Republic to establish its regional branch, the party announced on its official Telegram channel. Denis Miroshnichenko, chairman of the people’s council of the republic, became the secretary of the party cell. “More than 22,000 people have already joined our ranks in the LPR,” Andrey Turchak, secretary of the United Russia General Council, said during the event. EP also announced the holding on the eve of the same event on the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). The head of the region, Denis Pushilin, became the secretary of the party branch there, and the former deputy secretary of the Crimean branch of the United Russia, Yevgeny Maslov, became the head of the executive committee. In the DPR, according to Mr. Turchak, 43,000 people applied to join the party. According to a Kommersant source in United Russia, its branches in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions will be opened a little later – hardly earlier than in two weeks.

Recall that on October 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced martial law in all four new Russian regions. It was previously planned that on September 10 next year, citizens of the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions would elect deputies to their legislative assemblies. But in territories where martial law has been introduced, according to the law, elections are not held. However, representatives of the parliamentary opposition do not abandon plans to create their branches there, although they find it difficult to designate the timing of founding measures in new regions.

So, the head of the press service of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Alexander Yushchenko, who had just returned from the Zaporozhye region, told Kommersant that the format for continuing this activity would be determined after consultations with the party leadership. “Due to the situation that has now developed in these areas, there should not be amateur performances there … But I think we will carry out this work in the future. There is a very good asset, very good mood, and there has always been strong support for the Communist Party.” Mr. Yushchenko also added that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation has long been engaged in humanitarian activities in the Donbass, sending humanitarian convoys, but “it is necessary to expand its activities, including the need for structures that will work there.”

Senator Sergei Bezdenezhnykh, who oversees new regions in A Just Russia – For Truth (SRZP), told Kommersant that the party does not abandon plans to open branches there, but cannot yet decide when it is best to do so. “We choose the time as safe as possible for people from the territories. The introduction of martial law, of course, makes its own adjustments, but it is important to understand that in fact, the DPR and LPR have been in this state for eight years now, and the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions since February 24. Life does not stop at the same time, including political life,” the politician said. According to him, the party is still working on the “configuration” of the governing bodies of future party branches. In the context of martial law, the SRHR will primarily focus on a humanitarian mission, work with citizens’ appeals, and will also develop projects aimed at the integration of territories.

The press service of the Liberal Democratic Party of Kommersant explained that the law on martial law in its current form does not impose any restrictions on the work of the party, so holding regional conferences in new territories is a matter of time. “Front-line conditions” make themselves felt, therefore, for the party, it is the processes of helping local residents that are primary: humanitarian aid, supplies of necessary things and materials, legal assistance to refugees. In Zaporozhye and Donetsk, the situation in terms of organizing the work of regional branches has moved further, but work is underway in Lugansk and Kherson region, the press service of the party noted.

Kommersant’s source in New People, in turn, notes that they also do not abandon plans to open regional branches.

Considering that elections can be called three months after martial law is lifted, and it is now impossible to predict exactly when it will be lifted, opening regional branches of federal political parties is a perfectly reasonable move, said Maria Sergeeva, a political consultant and former employee of the presidential administration. The law on martial law, in her opinion, only “narrows” the field of their activities. “Participation in elections is not the only function of the regional branches of the parties: they can recruit supporters and members of the regional branches of the party, hold events, engage in volunteer activities, take part in the development of decisions of state authorities and local self-government – for example, join public councils. In other words, to create the ground for further participation in the elections after the lifting of martial law,” the expert explains.

Political scientist Alexei Makarkin notes that the main purpose of political parties is participation in elections, which is irrelevant for new territories. Nevertheless, they have reasons to open their branches there. “By this they show that they are still in a patriotic consensus: the parties emphasize that they support the common line of power.” At the same time, according to Mr. Makarkin, there is a need for parties in new regions, since the population there has an urgent demand for people who can solve their problems. “Therefore, there is a need for as many structures as possible, where one can apply. Representatives of federal parties who have a boss in Moscow look to people like figures who can help them solve problems,” the political scientist concludes.

“It’s better to have everything ready in advance. So that when and if, if and when, ”a Kommersant source in one of the parties of the parliamentary opposition explains the meaning of creating regional branches in the context of the ban on elections.

Andrey Vinokurov, Ksenia Veretennikova