DATE=12/18/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSSIA/ELECTIONS (L)
NUMBER=2-257279
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


/// VOTING BEGINS IN RUSSIAN FAR EAST AT 20:00 UTC 
SATURDAY, ENDS 18:00 UTC SUNDAY IN KALININGRAD. 
OFFICIAL PRELIMINARY RESULTS EXPECTED 7:00 UTC MONDAY 
///


INTRO:  More than 107-million Russians in 11 time 
zones are eligible to vote this Sunday in elections 
for a new parliament.  Half of the 450 seats in 
Russia's state Duma are decided on party lists, with 
the rest of the seats contested for by individual 
candidates. Moscow correspondent Eve Conant reports 
many of the parties, whether they are communist or 
democratic, say they approve of market reforms, but 
that Russia needs strong leaders to keep the nation 
powerful.

TEXT:  Political advertisements have been taken off 
the air, politicians are banned from campaigning, and 
Russians are being encouraged to think in peace and 
quiet about who they want to run Russia's parliament 
for the next four years.

Twenty-six parties are competing for seats in Russia's 
state Duma, with about six parties expected to break 
the five percent vote threshold.  Opinion polls say 
the leading contenders are the Communists and the 
newly formed Unity party backed by the Kremlin.  The 
Communists have relied mostly on quiet door-to-door 
campaigning, while the Unity party has gained support 
following the blessing of Russia's popular prime 
minister, Vladimir Putin.  Mr. Putin is riding an 
unprecedented crest of popularity by masterminding the 
war in Chechnya, which most Russians support.

Polls predict the centrist Fatherland-All Russia bloc, 
led by former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov and 
Moscow's powerful mayor, is running closely behind in 
third place.  But while the faces of the various 
contenders may look different, the issues in their 
pre-election campaigns have been largely similar.

For the past four years, Russia's parliament has been 
dominated by the Communist Party.  But this time 
around - says the director of the Carnegie 
Foundation's Moscow Center, Alan Rousso - both 
communist and democratic parties have made similar 
promises.

            /// Act Rousso ///

      Certainly the underlying themes are themes like 
      stability, law and order, patriotism, decency 
      and anti-corruption.  These are the things that 
      almost every party has adopted as part of its 
      overarching ideology, because they are grand 
      themes that almost any voter can attach 
      themselves to.

            /// End Act ///

Almost all the parties hoping to get elected on Sunday 
say they support Moscow's military offensive in 
Chechnya.  Those who have opposed the campaign have 
seen their ratings fall.

            /// Opt ///

But the Carnegie political analyst, Mr. Rousso, points 
out that contenders have spent more time attacking 
their opposition than putting forward any constructive 
economic or political programs. 

            /// Rousso Act ///

      Rather than a campaign which has really been 
      focused on ideas, which would seem more 
      consistent with building democracy, we've seen a 
      campaign which has primarily been about 
      character assassination and favoritism.  And so, 
      the extent to which the public seems informed is 
      I think quite low.  It starts to look less and 
      less like Russia has a free press which is one 
      of the most important institutions of a 
      democracy.

            /// End Act ///

Many average Russians say they are glad the mud 
slinging and accusations are over, at least for 
awhile.  But people like Alexander Moshkov say the 
most important thing is to get younger lawmakers into 
parliament.

            /// Act Moshkov in Russian in full and 
fade under ///

He says "I don't need a Stalin to rule Russia.  I just 
want a young, energetic person who is not afraid of 
taking responsibility."

            /// End Opt ///

Shop assistant Elena Kulakova says she will vote on 
Sunday, but she does not yet know for whom.

            /// Act Kulakova in Russian in full and 
fade under ///

She says, "I don't trust any of them.  Politics is 
dirty business.  The politicians have their standard 
of living and we have ours.  They will never 
understand us and we will never understand them."

/// Opt ///  In general, there was little optimism to 
be found on the streets of Moscow.  Several people 
said they simply would not vote at all, that they were 
tired of hearing empty promises.  But after years of 
economic decline and political in-fighting, there did 
seem to be some accord between the voters and the 
politicians.  Most Russians echo what the politicians 
have been saying - that Russia needs tough talking 
leaders, people of action and not words.  Sunday's 
elections will show who they believe fits that 
description.  /// End Opt ///

Polls open first in Russia's Far East, and close last 
in western regions such as Kaliningrad.  The war-torn 
republic of Chechnya is the only region not taking 
part in the vote. (Signed)

NEB/EC/DW/JP




18-Dec-1999 10:53 AM EDT (18-Dec-1999 1553 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.