Putin win: It's not fair, say observers - Guardian UK

Yesterday's elections effectively wiped out the last independent MPs from Russia's new parliament. With the exception of the semi-autonomous Communists, all new MPs support the president with the pro-presidential United Russia taking 70% of the seats. None of Russia's western-orientated reform parties won a single seat.

"There are no illusions that what is being called elections was the most unfair and dirtiest in the whole history of modern Russia," said Gary Kasparov, the former chess champion and opposition leader. Police arrested him and hundreds of other opposition activists last week.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,,2221157,00.html









In January 2000, a bill to ban seal hunting was passed by Russian parliament by 273 votes to 1, but was vetoed by President Vladimir Putin.