Victory for Sergey Subbotin
Russia’s largest political party United Russia lost in the election to post as Mayor of Murmansk. The independent candidate Sergey Subbotin won with more than 60 percent of the votes. United Russia announces it might dispute the results.
Sergey Subbotin, former Deputy Governor of Murmansk Oblast won yesterday’s second voting round in the elections to post as Mayor of Murmansk. Subbotin, who ran as an independent candidate, received 60,73 percent of the votes, while current Mayor of Murmansk and United Russia’s candidate Mikhail Savchenko got 35,17 percent.
United Russia’s general committee might dispute the results of the elections, news agency RIA Novosti reports. On voting day a local TV-station broadcasted an interview with Murmansk Oblast Governor Yury Yevdokimov where he expressed his support to Subbotin. Campaigning on voting day is illegal according to Russian law. The TV-stations admits to have broadcasted the interview on voting day without Yevdokimov’s permission.
As BarentsObserver has reported, the election campaign has been full of scandals. Governor Yevdokimov’s criticism of the methods used by United Russia in the campaign has been met by fierce reactions from the party. Sources in the Kremlin have signaled that Yevdokimov will not sit much longer as regional governor, and the United Russia has openly said that they intend to force the governor to resign.
BarentsObserver will bring updates on this story.
