Democratic Party of Russia
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Party of Russia or DPR is a former Russia
n political party
that existed between 1990 and 2008. It was founded by Nikolai Travkin. It initially featured Stanislav Govorukhin
and Sergey Glazyev
, was a prominent democratically-oriented party, member of the Democratic Russia
coalition, and had deputies in the first State Duma
. After the August coup, the party evolved from liberal
anticommunism to centrism
(1992–1993) to moderate Russian nationalism
(1994–1995).
In 1991, the Democratic Party differed from other liberal/democratic organizations with its 'demopatriotic' stance (similar to Aksyuchits' Christian-Democratic Party and Astafyev's Constitutional Democrats
). The Democratic Party was opposed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union
and criticised Latvia's and Estonia's policies towards their Russian-speaking minorities. After the signing of the Belovezhye treaty, the DP organized a number of demonstrations against the treaty.
The party's stance on Gaidar
's economic reforms was ambiguous, but developed more critical in the course of time. During the constitutional crisis in Russia (1992-1993), the party did not have unanimous position. The party called for balloting both for re-election of the President as well as of the legislative bodies on the referendum in April, 1993; however, some of the party's leaders took the pro-Yeltsin side. Similarly, during the October 1993 events in Moscow, Travkin initially supported the so-called zero variant (annulling both Yeltsin's decree nr 1400 and the Supreme Soviet's subsequent decisions). On October 4, Travkin supported Yeltsin's actions in suppressing the armed rebellion. The party took part in the Russian legislative election, 1993
and won 14 seats. The party split, however, on the issue of support for the Chernomyrdin cabinet. Travkin who took a more conciliatory stand lost the power struggle to Govorukhin and Glazyev, who were determined opponents of the government course, and Travkin consequently left the party and joined the Our Home is Russia
movement.
Glazyev was made leader in 1994 but was disbanded before the following year's legislative election
. The rump DR split further between Govorukhin and Glazyev supporters. In the Russian legislative election, 1995
, the Glazyev wing took part within the Congress of Russian Communities
list, whilst Govorukhin formed his own list, called the Stanislav Govorukhin Bloc.
In the 1996 presidential election, the Democratic Party supported Alexander Lebed, though some of its regional leaders supported Yeltsin's campaign. In the 2000 presidential election, the party supported Vladimir Putin
.
In 2001 the party was reformed by Mikhail Prusak
. In 2005 Mikhail Kasyanov
tried to be elected chairman of the party, but lost to Andrei Vladimirovich Bogdanov
. In June 2007 the party proposed a referendum
on joining the European Union
and in December
it took part in the legislative election
, but it did not win any seats. The DPR of that time was accused of being a virtual
party used to draw away votes from the real opposition parties.
In the Russian legislative election, 2007
the party won 0.13% of votes, not breaking the 7% barrier, and thus no seats in the Duma. As of January 1, 2007, according to the Federal Registration Service, the party had 82183 members.
It merged with Union of Right Forces
and Civilian Power
to form Right Cause
on 16 November 2008.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
that existed between 1990 and 2008. It was founded by Nikolai Travkin. It initially featured Stanislav Govorukhin
Stanislav Govorukhin
Stanislav Sergeyevich Govorukhin has been one of the most popular Soviet and Russian film directors since the 1960s...
and Sergey Glazyev
Sergey Glazyev
Sergey Yurievich Glazyev is a Russian politician and economist, Academician of Russian Academy of Science since 2008. He was a minister in 1993, a member of the State Duma in 1993-2007, and ran for President of Russia in 2004...
, was a prominent democratically-oriented party, member of the Democratic Russia
Democratic Russia
Democratic Russia was generic name for several political entities that played a transformative role in Russia's transition from Communist rule:...
coalition, and had deputies in the first State Duma
State Duma
The State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
. After the August coup, the party evolved from liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
anticommunism to centrism
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
(1992–1993) to moderate Russian nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
(1994–1995).
In 1991, the Democratic Party differed from other liberal/democratic organizations with its 'demopatriotic' stance (similar to Aksyuchits' Christian-Democratic Party and Astafyev's Constitutional Democrats
Constitutional Democratic Party - Party of Popular Freedom
Constitutional Democratic Party – Party of Popular Freedom was a political party in the USSR and Russia...
). The Democratic Party was opposed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and criticised Latvia's and Estonia's policies towards their Russian-speaking minorities. After the signing of the Belovezhye treaty, the DP organized a number of demonstrations against the treaty.
The party's stance on Gaidar
Yegor Gaidar
Yegor Timurovich Gaidar was a Soviet and Russian economist, politician and author, and was the Acting Prime Minister of Russia from 15 June 1992 to 14 December 1992....
's economic reforms was ambiguous, but developed more critical in the course of time. During the constitutional crisis in Russia (1992-1993), the party did not have unanimous position. The party called for balloting both for re-election of the President as well as of the legislative bodies on the referendum in April, 1993; however, some of the party's leaders took the pro-Yeltsin side. Similarly, during the October 1993 events in Moscow, Travkin initially supported the so-called zero variant (annulling both Yeltsin's decree nr 1400 and the Supreme Soviet's subsequent decisions). On October 4, Travkin supported Yeltsin's actions in suppressing the armed rebellion. The party took part in the Russian legislative election, 1993
Russian legislative election, 1993
Legislative elections were held in the Russian Federation on 12 December 1993. At stake were the 450 seats in the State Duma , the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia .-Rules:...
and won 14 seats. The party split, however, on the issue of support for the Chernomyrdin cabinet. Travkin who took a more conciliatory stand lost the power struggle to Govorukhin and Glazyev, who were determined opponents of the government course, and Travkin consequently left the party and joined the Our Home is Russia
Our Home Is Russia
Our Home – Russia , abbreviated as NDR, was a Russian political party between 1995 and early 2000.Our Home – Russia was founded in 1995 by then Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. It was a liberal, centrist political movement, founded for the purpose of rallying more technocratic-reformist...
movement.
Glazyev was made leader in 1994 but was disbanded before the following year's legislative election
Russian legislative election, 1995
Legislative elections were held in the Russian Federation on December 17, 1995. At stake were the 450 seats in the State Duma , the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia ....
. The rump DR split further between Govorukhin and Glazyev supporters. In the Russian legislative election, 1995
Russian legislative election, 1995
Legislative elections were held in the Russian Federation on December 17, 1995. At stake were the 450 seats in the State Duma , the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia ....
, the Glazyev wing took part within the Congress of Russian Communities
Congress of Russian Communities
The Congress of Russian Communities is a nationalist political organization in Russia. It was created in the early 1990s initially to promote the rights of ethnic Russians living in the newly independent countries of the former Soviet Union....
list, whilst Govorukhin formed his own list, called the Stanislav Govorukhin Bloc.
In the 1996 presidential election, the Democratic Party supported Alexander Lebed, though some of its regional leaders supported Yeltsin's campaign. In the 2000 presidential election, the party supported Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
.
In 2001 the party was reformed by Mikhail Prusak
Mikhail Prusak
Mikhail Mikhaylovich Prusak was the governor of Novgorod Oblast, Russia from 1991 to 2007. Since August 7, 2007 the governor of Novgorod Oblast is Sergei Mitin. Prusak was also a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 1989 to 1991.-References:...
. In 2005 Mikhail Kasyanov
Mikhail Kasyanov
Mikhail Mikhailovich Kasyanov - was the Prime Minister of Russia from May 2000 to February 2004.He is the leader of the People's Democratic Union and an ex-member of the opposition coalition "The Other Russia".-Political career:...
tried to be elected chairman of the party, but lost to Andrei Vladimirovich Bogdanov
Andrei Vladimirovich Bogdanov
Andrey Vladimirovich Bogdanov is a Russian politician. He is the leader of the Democratic Party of Russia and a Freemason, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Russia...
. In June 2007 the party proposed a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on joining the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and in December
December 2007
December 2007 was the twelfth month of that year. It began on a Saturday and, after 31 days, ended on a Monday.-Portal:Current events:...
it took part in the legislative election
Russian legislative election, 2007
Legislative elections were held in the Russian Federation on 2 December 2007. At stake were the 450 seats in the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia . Eleven parties were included in the ballot, including Russia's largest party, United Russia, which was supported by...
, but it did not win any seats. The DPR of that time was accused of being a virtual
Virtual
The term virtual is a concept applied in many fields with somewhat differing connotations, and also, differing denotations.The term has been defined in philosophy as "that which is not real" but may display the salient qualities of the real....
party used to draw away votes from the real opposition parties.
In the Russian legislative election, 2007
Russian legislative election, 2007
Legislative elections were held in the Russian Federation on 2 December 2007. At stake were the 450 seats in the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia . Eleven parties were included in the ballot, including Russia's largest party, United Russia, which was supported by...
the party won 0.13% of votes, not breaking the 7% barrier, and thus no seats in the Duma. As of January 1, 2007, according to the Federal Registration Service, the party had 82183 members.
It merged with Union of Right Forces
Union of Right Forces
The Union of Right Forces, or SPS , was a Russian democratic opposition party associated with free market reforms, privatization, and the legacy of the 'Young Reformers' of the 1990s: Anatoly Chubais, Boris Nemtsov, and Yegor Gaidar. Nikita Belykh was the last party's leader...
and Civilian Power
Civilian Power
Civilian Power was a liberal political party in the Russian Federation, which prior to February 2007 was called Free Russia.According to data from Rosregistration, the party has 55,063 members...
to form Right Cause
Right Cause
Right Cause is a political party in Russia with representatives in several local legislatures. Founded on 18 February 2009 as a merger of the Union of Right Forces, Civilian Power and the Democratic Party of Russia, the party's main policy stances are liberal free market economy, democracy and...
on 16 November 2008.
Top positions
- Leader and Chairman of the DPR's Central Committee - Andrei Vladimirovich Bogdanov
- Chairman of the DPR's Executive Committee - Vyacheslav Nikolaevich Smirnov
- Permanent Acting Governing Body - Political Council (7 members)
- Party's Upper Governing Body between congresses - The DPR's Central Committee (76 members)