Unity (political party)
Encyclopedia
Unity was a Russian political party that was created in September 1999 and registered on October 15, supported by Russia’s President Boris Yeltsin
, PM Vladimir Putin
and dozens of Russian governors to counter the threat which the Kremlin perceived from the Fatherland-All Russia alliance. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/572646.stm It was also unofficially dubbed "Medved’" (the bear) or "Medvedi" (bears), as "MeDvEd" was an acronym of its full name (Mezhregonalnoye Dvizhenie "Edinstvo"; Interregional movement "Unity"). Later the party adopted a brown bear for its symbol.
The rise of Unity was meteoric given the short time period it had to create an identity, plan its campaign strategy and carry out its ambitious objectives. The establishment of the movement followed a declaration signed by 39 governors expressing their dissatisfaction with the political battles being fought in Russia. The initial meeting of these governors to form a new electoral movement was held on 24 September 1999. It was at this meeting that Minister of Emergency Situations Sergey Shoygu was selected as Unity’s leader.
Prime Minister Putin immediately pledged support for the new bloc, saying it could help stabilize the political situation in Russia. On November 24, 1999 he told reporters that in his capacity as premier, he "should not define his political preferences" with respect to election blocs but "as an ordinary citizen" he will vote for Unity. The party’s leading candidates in 1999 State Duma elections
were Sergey Shoygu, nine-times world wrestling champion Alexander Karelin
and former senior police official Alexander Gurov
. Unity, backed up by popular support for the Second Chechen War
, relied on a mud-slinging campaign to discredit the Fatherland-All Russia alliance. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/572646.stm It was also heavily promoted by the ORT
TV channel and especially "Sergey Dorenko
's Program".
The Unity party had no clear ideology or program beyond its support of the war in Chechnya. http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=2000/1/4/50457
In the 1999 State Duma elections on December 19, Unity received 23.32 percent of the vote and won 72 of 441 seats (second result after the Communist Party of the Russian Federation
). http://elections.ru/duma/results/ Later ten more seats joined the faction. Shoygu remained Emergencies Minister and did not go into the new State Duma
. On January 12, 2000 the party elected Boris Gryzlov
leader of its faction.
The party supported Vladimir Putin
in the 2000 presidential elections
.
In April 2001 the Unity party and the Fatherland - All Russia movement took the decision to unite into a single political party, United Russia
.
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
, PM 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...
and dozens of Russian governors to counter the threat which the Kremlin perceived from the Fatherland-All Russia alliance. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/572646.stm It was also unofficially dubbed "Medved’" (the bear) or "Medvedi" (bears), as "MeDvEd" was an acronym of its full name (Mezhregonalnoye Dvizhenie "Edinstvo"; Interregional movement "Unity"). Later the party adopted a brown bear for its symbol.
The rise of Unity was meteoric given the short time period it had to create an identity, plan its campaign strategy and carry out its ambitious objectives. The establishment of the movement followed a declaration signed by 39 governors expressing their dissatisfaction with the political battles being fought in Russia. The initial meeting of these governors to form a new electoral movement was held on 24 September 1999. It was at this meeting that Minister of Emergency Situations Sergey Shoygu was selected as Unity’s leader.
Prime Minister Putin immediately pledged support for the new bloc, saying it could help stabilize the political situation in Russia. On November 24, 1999 he told reporters that in his capacity as premier, he "should not define his political preferences" with respect to election blocs but "as an ordinary citizen" he will vote for Unity. The party’s leading candidates in 1999 State Duma elections
Russian legislative election, 1999
Legislative elections were held in the Russian Federation on 19 December 1999. At stake were the 450 seats in the State Duma , the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia...
were Sergey Shoygu, nine-times world wrestling champion Alexander Karelin
Alexander Karelin
Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Karelin, or simply Alexander Karelin, is a Hero of the Russian Federation and was a dominant Greco-Roman wrestler for the Soviet Union and later, after its dissolution, for Russia. He won gold medals at the 1988, 1992, and 1996 Olympic Games...
and former senior police official Alexander Gurov
Alexander Gurov
Alexander Ivanovich Gurov is a Russian politician and Lieutenant General of Interior Affairs who made his name in the Soviet Union fighting organized crime in the 1980s. In 1999 he took part in the creation of the pro-government Unity Party of Russia...
. Unity, backed up by popular support for the Second Chechen War
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
, relied on a mud-slinging campaign to discredit the Fatherland-All Russia alliance. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/572646.stm It was also heavily promoted by the ORT
Channel One (Russia)
Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%...
TV channel and especially "Sergey Dorenko
Sergey Dorenko
Sergey Leonidovich Dorenko is a Russian TV and radio journalist, famous for hosting a controversial weekly news commentary program in 1999-2000....
's Program".
The Unity party had no clear ideology or program beyond its support of the war in Chechnya. http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=2000/1/4/50457
In the 1999 State Duma elections on December 19, Unity received 23.32 percent of the vote and won 72 of 441 seats (second result after the Communist Party of the Russian Federation
Communist Party of the Russian Federation
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation is a Russian political party. It is the second major political party in the Russian Federation.-History:...
). http://elections.ru/duma/results/ Later ten more seats joined the faction. Shoygu remained Emergencies Minister and did not go into the new 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...
. On January 12, 2000 the party elected Boris Gryzlov
Boris Gryzlov
Boris Vyacheslavovich Gryzlov , is a Russian politician and current Speaker of Russia's State Duma . He is one of the leaders of the largest Russian political party, United Russia...
leader of its faction.
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 the 2000 presidential elections
Russian presidential election, 2000
Russian presidential elections were held on 26 March 2000. Incumbent Prime Minister, and acting President Vladimir Putin, who had succeeded Boris Yeltsin on his resignation December 31, 1999, was seeking a four-year term in his own right and won the elections in the first round. Polling stations...
.
In April 2001 the Unity party and the Fatherland - All Russia movement took the decision to unite into a single political party, United Russia
United Russia
United Russia is a centrist political party in Russia and the largest party in the country, currently holding 315 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...
.