Russia election 2026: Putin-backed United Russia seeks to retain parliamentary dominance

Russia will hold its parliamentary election from September 18 to 20, with President Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party widely expected to retain control of the 450-seat State Duma, the lower house of parliament.

The election is the first parliamentary vote since Russia launched its full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022. While the contest will determine all 450 members of the Duma, the outcome is unlikely to threaten United Russia’s dominance in a political system where genuine opposition faces significant restrictions.

Also read: US lawmaker submits amendment naming India in Russia sanctions act


The key question is how large a majority the ruling party will secure. United Russia currently holds 310 seats and needs at least 300 to retain its supermajority, allowing it to push through constitutional changes without support from other parties.

How Russia’s parliamentary election works

Voters will elect Duma members to five-year terms through a mixed electoral system. Half of the seats, or 225, will be allocated through a nationwide party-list vote, while the remaining 225 will be decided in single-seat constituencies.

A late-August survey by state pollster VTsIOM put United Russia well ahead of its rivals, with 37% support among respondents. The Communist Party followed with 11.6%.

The size of United Russia’s victory will therefore be closely watched. A smaller majority could affect the party’s ability to pass constitutional changes without backing from other parliamentary groups, although it is widely expected to remain the dominant force.

Why the opposition faces an uphill battle

The four other parties expected to return to the Duma, including the Communist Party and the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, broadly support the war in Ukraine and tend to vote with United Russia on key issues.

The Supreme Court has barred the liberal Yabloko party from participating in the party-list ballot, sidelining the only registered political party to oppose Russia’s war in Ukraine. Some Yabloko candidates are still contesting single-seat constituencies because the ruling does not apply to those races, but they appear unlikely to win seats.

Other opposition politicians have also been barred from participating after being designated as "foreign agents."

The restrictions have narrowed the space for political competition ahead of the vote, leaving voters with limited alternatives to the established parliamentary parties.

What election observers are watching

The conduct of the election is another major focus. Golos, Russia’s only independent nationwide election watchdog, closed down in 2025 after years of pressure from the authorities. The organisation had sharply criticised the conduct of previous elections.

Russia has also not invited international monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to observe the upcoming vote.

The OSCE said the decision reflected a pattern of Russian government disregard for transparency, democratic accountability and the rule of law. It has also said Russia’s political system has become more restrictive since the last parliamentary election in 2021, citing the exclusion of candidates labelled "foreign agents," further limits on campaign financing and other measures.

Russian authorities have rejected criticism of the electoral process, saying voting is conducted in accordance with the law. They have also accused Russia’s Western enemies of trying to undermine and disrupt the election.

Also read: India’s $40 billion Russian oil lifeline shouldn’t buckle under Trump’s 100% tariff threat: GTRI

Voting in Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine

The election will also be held in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and in Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

Authorities said voting began early in some areas for security reasons.

The inclusion of these territories adds a further dimension to the election, which is taking place against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and its broader confrontation with the West.