Medvedev orders election probe

Mr Medvedev responded yesterday on his Facebook site to the protesters’ complaints that the 4 December election was slanted to favour of his and prime minister Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party, but did not mention their calls for an end to Mr Putin’s rule.

“I do not agree with any slogans or statements made at the rallies. Nevertheless, instructions have been given by me to check all information from polling stations regarding compliance with the legislation on elections,” Mr Medvedev said in a post on the social media site.

“Citizens of Russia have freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. People have a right to express the position that they did yesterday. It all took place within the framework of the law,” he added.

His statement was a sign that the Russian leadership feels under pressure after the biggest opposition protests since Mr Putin rose to power in 1999.

In a further sign of recognition that the people’s mood has changed after years of tight political control, city authorities across Russia allowed Saturday’s protests to go ahead and riot police hardly intervened.

State television and other Russian channels also broadcast footage of a huge protest in Moscow, breaking a policy of showing almost no negative coverage of the authorities.

But Mr Medvedev had already indicated before the protests that he would call an inquiry, and a statement from Mr Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, gave no indication that the prime minister was about to make big concessions to the protesters.

“We respect the point of view of the protesters, we are hearing what is being said, and we will continue to listen to them,” Mr Peskov said in a statement.

That is unlikely to appease protesters who issued a list of demands at the Moscow rally, which police said was attended by 25,000 people but the organisers insist attracted up to 150,000.

The demands included much more than just an investigation in the conduct of the election, which international monitors said was slanted to help United Russia secure a majority in the State Duma lower house.

The protesters demanded a rerun of the election, the sacking of Central Election Commission chief Vladimir Churov and the release of people they define as political prisoners. The organisers also called for a new day of protests on 24 December.

“I am happy. December 10, 2011 will go down in history as the day the country’s civic virtue and civil society was revived. After ten years of hibernation, Moscow and all Russia woke up,” Boris Nemtsov, an opposition leader, wrote in his blog.

“The main reason why it was such a big success is that a feeling of self-esteem has awakened in us and we have all got so fed up with Putin’s and Medvedev’s lies, theft and cynicism that we cannot tolerate it any longer ... Together we will win!” It may not be that simple.

The opposition has long been divided, most mainstream parties have little or no role in the rallies and keeping them up across the world’s largest country is hard at the best of times but especially in winter.

Most Russian political experts say Mr Putin is in little immediate danger of being toppled, despite anger over widespread corruption and the gap between rich and poor.

But they say the 59-year-old leader’s authority has been damaged and may gradually wane after he returns as president in an election next March that he is still expected to win.

Although opinion polls show he is Russia’s most popular politician, the protests indicate how deep feelings are over the 4 December election.