Limited Electoral Competition of Russian Legal Political Parties: Causes and Methods

Abstract

In this scientific article, the author investigated the features of the process of institutionalization of legal political technologies that are used by parties in federal and regional elections. The author paid special attention to limited electoral competition. The originality of the article lies in the fact that it revealed negative trends in the development of political technologies in the party and electoral systems of the Russian Federation. The author notes that the legal basis in the application of certain political technologies during elections negatively affects the subjective party rights, as well as the capabilities of the participants of political parties themselves. This conclusion is based on the achievements of social and political sciences in terms of assessing such manipulations with the consciousness of voters. These problems and the contradictions in the institutionalization of Russian political parties influence electoral competition. The restriction of such competition occurs in the interests of the ruling party and with the consent of competing parliamentary parties. These parties are forced to go along the coalition path in order to achieve common political goals. As a result, the author substantiates the conclusion that under Russian conditions such restrictions acquire an exclusively administrative-bureaucratic connotation. The bodies responsible for organizing the electoral process have the opportunity to create and apply rules that prevent parties from becoming parties to the competitive political environment.