TASS: Russian FM, Moscow mayor may give up State Duma seats

Around 50 candidates from United Russia’s federal electoral list may give up their State Duma seats, TASS reports, citing two sources in the party.

The report said among them are Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny and Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova.

Earlier, the country’s Central Election Commission Chair Ella Pamfilova outlined that United Russia has secured 349 of the 450 seats in Russia’s newly elected State Duma.

According to her, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) won 37 seats, while the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) secured 23.

New People received 19 seats, A Just Russia won 17, and Rodina secured one seat. Four seats went to self-nominated candidates.

Nearly 60% of eligible voters participated in the election, with more than 67 million people casting their ballots, Pamfilova noted.

She described the turnout as a record.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov