Regional polls could expose cracks in Kremlin s stability narrative – The Frontier Post thefrontierpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thefrontierpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Voters across Russia are set to cast ballots in regional and municipal elections starting Sept. 8 in which they will choose, among others, 21 regional heads and deputies for 16 regional parliaments. Though the Kremlin’s tight grip on the electoral system and alleged widespread vote-rigging will ensure the victory of government-backed candidates in many of these races, it likely won’t emerge from the elections unscathed. In dozens of regions and municipalities, members of the ruling, pro-Kremlin United Russia party are due to face strong competition from the country’s so-called “systemic opposition” as the popularity of the “party of power” appears increasingly uncertain.
Carolina Hurricanes used four of their seven draft picks to select
Russian players at the National Hockey League Draft in Montreal,
despite tensions between Russia, the United States and Canada.