The results are seen as a good sign for Putin's presidential aspirations

December 20, 1999
Web posted at: 9:26 a.m. EST (1426 GMT)

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From staff and wire reports

MOSCOW (CNN) -- A new party endorsed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin pulled within a fraction of the long-dominant Communists as votes were counted Monday in elections for seats in Russia's parliament.

The strong showing by the centrist Unity party was seen as an endorsement for Putin in what the Kremlin called "a peaceful revolution" and diluted the Communists' strength in the Duma, the lower house of parliament.

The Unity party was formed only 11 weeks ago by allies of Putin and President Boris Yeltsin. It saw a surge of support that gave centrist groups in Russia their strongest election showing in the post-Soviet era, boosted Putin's future hopes of becoming president and strengthened his hand in the war against Islamic militants in Chechnya.

With more than 80 percent of ballots counted Monday, the Communists had a slight edge with 24.4 percent of the vote, compared with Unity's 23.7 percent. The Communist Party has held the largest portion of seats in the Duma for a decade.

The Kremlin hailed the surprise showing by Unity and the Union of Right-Wing Forces, which also broadly supports the Kremlin and Putin.

"In Russia a revolution has taken place, a peaceful one, but a revolution all the same," said Igor Shabdurasulov, first deputy head of Yeltsin's Kremlin administration.

"This is a colossal breakthrough," he told reporters.

Centrist groups accounted for four of the six leading parties in Sunday's voting and were likely to claim more than half the seats the Duma. As a result, Yeltsin could have a cooperative parliament for the first time, and economic reforms are likely to face less resistance.

Despite the close race with Unity, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov said he was pleased with his party's performance. He said the party had made "a very confident and important step on its way not only into the Duma, but toward the presidential election as well."

Ex-premier Kiriyenko says the results break the Communists' grip on the Duma

Putin may be biggest winner

Perhaps the biggest winner of all was Putin, who wasn't even on the ballot. Putin's popularity has soared during Russia's three-month war against Chechnya. Though he's not a member, after Putin endorsed Unity, the group's poll ratings jumped dramatically.

Yeltsin, who can not seek a third term as president, has endorsed Putin as his successor.

Putin has won support for his quick action on paying back-wages and pensions. His popularity was also aided by a public belief that the 47-year-old ex-KGB officer is an untainted figure.

"He is considered to be not corrupted, so he has a decent image ... which is a rarity in Russian politics these days," Russian political analyst Alexei Pushkov said.

Meanwhile, a party led by Putin's potential competitors -- the Fatherland-All Russia coalition -- had a relatively weak showing in the election. The party, headed by ex-Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, took only about 12 percent of the tally. Luzhkov and Primakov are both prominent Yeltsin critics and considered possible rivals to Putin.

In a separate race, Luzhkov was headed for re-election as Moscow's mayor.

The Union of Right -- a party of free-market reform advocates -- garnered about 9 percent of the vote. Trailing the pack were the Liberal Democratic Party, led by ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky and the Yabloko party, both with about 6 percent. The remaining votes were spread among 20 smaller parties, which failed to receive the 5 percent needed to win seats in the Duma.

Unity's showing 'a brand-new thing' in Russia

"The Unity alliance is a brand-new thing in Russia, and maybe some of the voters were attracted by its new name, its new politicians -- and they have shown they are tired of the traditional composition of the Russian Duma," Pushkov said.

Half the Duma seats are decided on party lists and half on races in the individual constituencies. Independent and centrist candidates were also leading in 107 of the races for the 225 individual constituency seats.

"For the first time in 10 years, the Duma will not be controlled by the Communists. This victory is hard to overestimate," said former Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko, leader of the Union of Right Forces.

Correspondent Mike Hanna and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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