United Russia (Russian: Еди́ная Росси́я, Yedínaya Rossíya) is a centrist political party in Russia and the largest party in the country, currently holding 238 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. The party was founded in December 2001, through a merger of the Unity and Fatherland-All Russia parties. Ideologically, it self-identifies as a "Russian conservative" party, and it supports the policies of the current presidential administration. The party's association with President and former Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who is former party leader and current General Secretary of the United Russia, has been the key to its success, and there is also evidence that the electorate credits the party (in addition to Putin) for improvements in the economy. Although the party's popularity has declined from its peak of 64.4% in the 2007 Duma elections to 49.32% in the 2011 elections, it remains by far the most popular party in the country, ahead of the Communist Party (at 19.19%). Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's current prime minister and former president, has been the leader of United Russia since 26 May 2012 and of United Russia in the State Duma since 24 September 2011.
Read more about United Russia: Party Platform, Structure, Leaders, Allegations of Corruption
Famous quotes containing the words united and/or russia:
“Fortunately, the time has long passed when people liked to regard the United States as some kind of melting pot, taking men and women from every part of the world and converting them into standardized, homogenized Americans. We are, I think, much more mature and wise today. Just as we welcome a world of diversity, so we glory in an America of diversity—an America all the richer for the many different and distinctive strands of which it is woven.”
—Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978)
“How can I explain the difference to me between America and Russia?... the America I’ve known is a place where men on horseback escort union marchers, the Russia I’ve known is a place where men on horseback slaughter young Socialists and Jews.”
—Golda Meir (1898–1978)