1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Protests in Russia

December 12, 2011

Vladimir Putin's United Russia party has squeaked by with just a slim majority in parliamentary elections, as he prepares to run for president once again. Yet tens of thousands of Russians accuse him of election fraud.

https://p.dw.com/p/Rz9z
Image: picture alliance/RIA Novosti

United Russia, the governing party of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, maintained its majority in the Duma in parliamentary elections on December 4 but lost the two-thirds majority it needs to change the constitution.

Protesters and international election observers have criticized the vote and accused United Russia of election fraud and manipulation.

In reaction to the poll, tens of thousands of Russians took to the streets to protest the alleged election fraud and demand an end to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's hold on power.

DW-WORLD.DE offers a closer look at a developing, flawed democracy in the world's former capital of communism.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

Show more stories