On Saturday, September 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin held meetings with the leaders of political parties that entered the State Duma of the VIII convocation, as well as with the heads of regions elected to their posts following a single voting day.

In his welcoming speech to the leaders of the Duma factions, Putin noted that the parliamentary elections were held openly, in strict accordance with the law and with a high turnout (according to the CEC, it was 51.72% - almost 4% more than five years ago).

The head of state also drew attention to the composition of the lower house of parliament.

“For the first time after the 1999 elections, there will be more than four factions in the Duma, which also speaks of the democratic nature of electoral rules and procedures, the development of democracy in our country, and that different political forces have a real chance to declare themselves,” the president said.

Recall that from September 17 to September 19, the Russians elected State Duma deputies, members of parliaments in 39 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, as well as heads of nine regions.

Representatives of eight parties and five self-nominated candidates entered the State Duma.

United Russia received 324 mandates, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation - 57, A Just Russia - For Truth - 27, the Liberal Democratic Party - 21. The New People received 13 seats, Rodina, Civil Platform, and the Growth Party - one mandate each.

Putin congratulated all those who passed to the Duma on their success, and United Russia on a convincing victory, noting that the political union proved that it “is still a leader”.

The President stated that the elections were held against the backdrop of a pandemic, a decrease in people's real incomes and instability in world markets.

According to him, only now it was possible to bring the economy to the pre-crisis level, and the authorities all this time tried to soften the blow as much as possible and provide large-scale assistance to those in need.

“This was done largely thanks to the close, well-coordinated work of the government and parliament, and at the most critical moments all factions worked in solidarity, and the result was a balanced, responsible socio-economic policy,” the head of state emphasized.

He added that the parliament is ahead of hard work for the benefit of Russia and its citizens, since in accordance with the updated Constitution, the role of the State Duma has significantly increased.

“We have many common challenges, many tasks.

It is necessary to reduce the level of poverty in the country to a minimum, to pull a significant number of people out of it.

It is necessary to improve the living conditions, development, education, and simply nutrition of children in families with low incomes, to increase the level and accessibility of high-quality, modern education, health care for all, to continue changes in the structure of the economy in favor of advanced, high-tech industries - this is extremely difficult, but absolutely a priority.

And, of course, we need to increase the rate of economic growth, ”Putin said.

Electronic voting

Commenting on the concerns regarding electronic voting, expressed by the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Gennady Zyuganov, the head of state noted that the question is not in what form the elections are held, but in control over the quality of these events.

“If there are doubts about the quality of control over electronic voting, let's think together how to organize it ... In principle, I listened to those who said that this is: a) inevitable;

b) convenient for people;

c) we will do everything to make it as transparent and as fair as possible, ”the president explained.

He also expressed the opinion that certain questions about electronic voting in Moscow could have been caused not by doubts about its quality, but by the fact that "someone did not like the result."

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, head of the United Russia party, also spoke about the effectiveness of this form of expression of will.

He suggested that this form of voting would eventually become the mainstream.

“There is no doubt that the whole world is moving towards electronic voting.

The passage of time, the development of new technologies cannot be stopped.

Sooner or later, voting will almost completely go into electronic form, especially in such large and very complex countries as the Russian Federation, ”he said.

According to him, the issue of the number of days for voting should be discussed separately, but in the "current pandemic situation, this is inevitable."

Volodin's nomination

During the conversation with parliamentarians, the president also expressed the opinion that Vyacheslav Volodin, who has held the post of chairman of the State Duma for the last five years, deserves to keep this post in the new composition of the lower house.

“Ultimately, you will decide this issue ... but I think that Vyacheslav Viktorovich is quite worthy to head the State Duma of the next, VIII convocation,” said the head of state.

Putin explained that the State Duma, chaired by Volodin, has shown that it can consolidate forces in the main areas of the country's development, especially during the difficult period of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

At the end of the meeting, the President said: “Once again, I congratulate you on your election to the State Duma.

I wish you success and look forward to joint consolidated work in the interests of the citizens of the country, in the interests of Russia. "

Meeting with governors

Later, also via videoconference, Putin met with the elected heads of nine regions of the Russian Federation.

The President said that he would support them regardless of their party affiliation.

“When you have already become a governor, and not a candidate for governor, it does not matter which party nominated you.

It is important that people voted for you and expect from you competent, solid, serious, deep, professional work in a new high post, ”Putin said in an interview with the head of the Ulyanovsk region, Alexei Russkikh.

Addressing the heads of the regions, the President recalled that the civil service is a service to voters.

“The most important thing is to always remember that civil service - let's say it again - is service, and the derived verb from this word is“ service ”.

So, service is primarily service.

Serving people who have entrusted you with such a high position and are counting on your effective work, ”the President stressed.

Recall that the current leaders of the subjects of the Federation won the elections for heads of regions.

In the Ulyanovsk region, Alexey Russkikh got 83.16% of the vote, Ramzan Kadyrov in Chechnya was supported by 99.7% of those who voted, in the Tver region, Igor Rudenya enlisted the support of 52.33% of voters, in the Khabarovsk Territory, Mikhail Degtyarev was favored by 56.81% of those who came to the polls , and Vladislav Khovalyg was elected head of Tuva, gaining 86.81%.

Alexey Dyumin won in the Tula region, gaining 83.9% of the vote, Vyacheslav Gladkov - in the Belgorod region with 78.79%, Artyom Zdunov - in Mordovia with 78.26%, and Oleg Melnichenko won in the Penza region (72.38% ).