Duma to examine lower passing barrier at general election to 5pc

MOSCOW, July 6 (Itar-Tass) - The State Duma will examine on Wednesday
in the first reading a bill on lowering the passing barrier from seven to
five percent at federal general elections. An appropriate initiative was
put forth by the Russian president.
The new bill, say accompanying documents, "cuts from seven to five
percent the minimum percentage of votes that is necessary to win for a
list of candidates at elections to the Russian State Duma to participate
in the distribution of seats". This rule is suggested to be applied for
elections of the seventh and subsequent State Dumas.
President Dmitry Medvedev said at a meeting with Russian reporters on
June 23 that the present seven-percent barrier for parties at elections to
the State Duma "is already much indeed". Medvedev promised at the time to
work out a bill, changing the situation. However, in the president's
opinion, the coming federal election campaign to the legislature - next
December - should pass according to old legislation. "But the next
elections should pass at five percent. If it is still much, we shall make
three percent," the head of state said.
Speaking earlier with The Financial Times, Medvedev said that changes
to raise political competition in Russia are ripe. "I believe that in
principle these changes (higher political competition) are already ripe,
since structurisation of the political system has taken place, and this,
I reckon, is understandable to all, including to our biggest party United
Russia," he said.
The president expressed conviction that absence of political
competition "is not for us". "For foundations of a market economy start
disappearing in absence of political competition, since political
competition is to some extent a manifestation of economic competition," he
explained. "Economic approaches start disputing, and these economic
approaches generate their leaders," Medvedev added.
"It's very bad that we don't have right-wingers in parliament," he
noted. "I should like that the entire political range should be
represented in parliament, the State Duma," he added.
The Duma majority came out in support of the president's initiative
and promised to vote in favour of lowering the election barrier down to
five percent.