Russia Bars Anti‑War Yabloko Party from Next Election After Court Ruling
A Moscow court last week denied Russia’s only anti‑war opposition party the right to stand in next month’s parliamentary elections, after a pro‑Kremlin nationalist party brought the case forward. The decision cited alleged extremist content on Yabloko’s website and foreign funding from Germany and the United States.
The lawsuit was lodged by the Rodina party, which accused Yabloko of publicly supporting an extremist organisation – the international LGBT movement – that Russia’s Supreme Court designated as extremist in 2023. Rodina also claimed that a senior Yabloko member had infringed copyright by quoting Soviet‑era lyrics in an interview.
When the ruling was announced, crowds of mostly young protesters gathered outside the courthouse with chants of “Shame! Shame!” and carried apples, the literal meaning of “Yabloko” in Russian. The event, interrupted by an eight‑hour hearing, was one of the few public forums where anti‑war voices could assemble in Moscow.
Yabloko has not secured seats in the State Duma since 2003 but remains Russia’s most consistent critic of the war in Ukraine. Recent gains in popularity, coupled with low approval ratings for United Russia, hinted that the party might have offered voters a clear alternative this election cycle.
However, the Kremlin’s decision to exclude Yabloko, along with the banning of several of its leading members – including deputy leader Maxim Kruglov, who was imprisoned in June for social media posts about Ukrainian casualties – leaves the ballot to 10 pro‑war or neutral parties.
Observers warn that the omission of a genuine opposition voice could diminish turnout among voters dissatisfied with the government, exactly what the Kremlin seeks. Independent election monitors have struggled to maintain oversight amid restrictions on civil society. The ballots may only reinforce the Kremlin’s expected victory in the face of institutional suppression.
