Kremlin Mulls Ditching United Russia--Moscow Times

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5//The Moscow Times, Russia Friday, March 11, 2005. Issue 3122.Page 1.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/03/11/002.html



KREMLIN MULLS DITCHING UNITED RUSSIA

By Francesca Mereu, Staff Writer



Worried about United Russia's falling popularity after its approval of controversial social reforms, senior Kremlin officials are planning to create a new party of power and ditch the Kremlin-controlled party ahead of the 2007 parliamentary elections, two sources familiar with the situation said.



The Kremlin, however, faces numerous hurdles to forming a new party -- hurdles that it unwittingly raised by deciding to overhaul the electoral system, political analysts said.



Widespread public anger over the monetization of social benefits -- which stripped millions of pensioners, disabled people, war veterans and others of state benefits in exchange for meager cash payments -- has largely been directed at the United Russia-dominated State Duma, rather than at President Vladimir Putin or the federal government.



Unprepared for the outcry and determined to maintain its grip on parliament, the Kremlin is looking to form a new party of power, the two sources said.

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