Darya Garmonенко
Political Correspondent, Nezavisimaya Gazeta
Despite the early start of the election campaign, only four parliamentary parties have launched full-scale information outreach to engage in the electoral process. At the lowest level of activity is ‘New People’ (NP), despite having the highest rating, according to Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VTsIOM), among the parliamentary (quasi-opposition) quartet. Alexey Nechayev’s party is running a background campaign, focusing on combating censorship, volunteering, and local initiatives.
The official election campaign will begin in June. The election of State Duma deputies must be announced no earlier than 110 days and no later than 90 days before the vote. On April 28, President Vladimir Putin held a meeting at the Kremlin to discuss election security. Earlier, at a meeting of the Council of Legislators, he wished good luck to all future candidates in both federal and other-level elections.
At the same time, parliamentary parties are ramping up their political and informational efforts. United Russia, with no issues regarding funding, media coverage or administrative support, is organising primaries and offering socially-oriented projects. LDPR, despite the ‘month of Zhirinovsky’ in April, is showing moderate activity. Meanwhile, both A Just Russia (SR) and the CPRF are going all out. SR is staging PR events such as the socialist international Sovintern (see NG dated April 27, 2026) and promoting draft laws in the style of Robin Hood, that is, ‘take from the rich and give to the poor’. The CPRF, on the other hand, is introducing draft laws calling for a moratorium on social media and messenger blocking, organising rallies in defense of internet freedom, holding plenary sessions and working with protest agendas (see NG dated April 26, 2026).
As for New People, despite an increase in mentions on live broadcasts (see NG dated April 21, 2026), the party is not generating high-profile federal news events or making significant political moves. It prefers to focus on issues such as supporting entrepreneurs, volunteering, educational projects, and combating censorship in books and films, as well as pursuing so-called local initiatives (see NG dated August 18, 2025).
At the same time, the entry point into the election campaign remains unclear, and New People continue to maintain activity at a low, near-minimum level. Key party members, including State Duma deputies Vladislav Davankov and Sardana Avksentyeva, are sharing updates on their personal blogs about the party’s work and achievements. For example, New People managed to ensure that parents can now confirm their child’s citizenship by birth online via the Gosuslugi portal, without having to queue at a public service centre
In addition, at the party’s initiative, viewers of online streaming platforms are now being alerted with special subtitles about the shortened runtime of films and TV series due to the removal of scenes.
‘We approached the Ministry of Culture with this idea last year because, due to the new restrictions, some films were cut so badly that the plot simply makes no sense. Iconic films such as ‘Brother’ and ‘Brother 2’, the biopic about Elton John, and even the remake of the Soviet film ‘The Dawns Here Are Quiet’ were subjected to censorship. Viewers have the right to know they are watching an edited version,’ stated Davankov.
Additionally, as the deputy reported, at the party’s initiative, warnings about the promotion of harmful substances have been removed from books by classic authors
‘Common sense has prevailed. The works of Pushkin, Gogol, and Bulgakov will no longer be sold with 18+ labels,’ the deputy noted.
New People have also submitted to the government and the Supreme Court another version of the draft law on protecting medical staff from attacks while providing care. As Sardana Avksentyeva reported, New People can count another victory:
‘the consideration of the bill, which in its current form effectively undermines independent judicial expertise in the country, has been postponed. We can breathe a little easier, and we hope our amendments will be considered. In the meantime, we are preparing to oppose it.’ At the same time, New People have distanced themselves from active opposition to internet blocking and are now focusing solely on testing Wi-Fi at public transport stops in large cities
As a reminder, according to the two largest sociological agencies, VTsIOM and Public Opinion Foundation (FOM), the ratings of New People are on the rise (see NG dated April 26, 2026). For example, in the latest VTsIOM poll, New People have moved up to second place among the five parliamentary parties in terms of support, with 13.4% (+1.0 percentage points in just one week). While FOM ranks the party fourth, it still forecasts a stable 6%, indicating they are likely to clear the electoral threshold.
Konstantin Kalachev, Head of the Political Expert Group, explained to NG that if New People’s ratings are rising, it indicates that, in terms of political technology, the party is doing everything right.
‘Right now, all parties are operating within a narrow corridor of opportunities. For New People, it’s crucial to navigate between Scylla and Charybdis: not to fall out with the authorities and not to alienate supporters who could later vote for them,’ he stressed.
The political expert further explained that there are strategies for both early and late entry into the campaign. Parties that enter early are typically searching for their electorate (often on the fringes) and carving out their place in the new political landscape. In contrast, late entrants are parties that have already secured their position in the political scenario and do not need to capture new audiences.
For example, four of the five parties launched their campaigns early, each for its own reasons. United Russia did so because of ‘black swans’ and falling ratings. The LDPR, still searching for its identity after its founder’s death, is trying to find a new foothold. A Just Russia is working to reclaim its role as the defender of the weak, while the CPRF seeks to restore its image as the main opposition party and provoke a protest vote in its favour.
According to Kalachev, New People distinguish themselves by positioning themselves not as an opposition party, but as a party of alternatives, young and progressive.
‘Since this is a party of alternatives, overt, total support could provoke the opposite effect. People might think the party is too closely supported by the authorities to be an independent and alternative force,’ he said. The political expert noted that New People are already gaining support from broad groups, especially from ‘angry urbanites,’ particularly due to internet blocking and slowdowns. The key to their success lies in their image as a ‘party of useful deeds,’ which must be carefully maintained. According to Kalachev’s observations, New People have the lowest negative rating of the five parliamentary parties. The main task now is not to increase it. The goal is to build momentum and finish the campaign strongly in August, following the pre-election congress in the summer.
Ilya Grashchenkov, Head of the Centre for Regional Policy Development, explained to NG: ‘low-key activity does not mean low campaign activity.’ He confirmed that New People do not have the loud and frontal pre-campaign seen with the CPRF or SR. ‘But this is more of a different model of campaigning: not based on constant political scandals, but on targeted work with specific groups,’ the political expert stressed.
He pointed out that the strategies of SR and CPRF are clear. They constantly need to prove they are alive, visible, and capable of being the main voices of discontent. ‘That’s why we see loud draft laws, sharp statements, attempts to organise a protest agenda, social populism, and rhetoric inspired by Robin Hood. For parties with an ageing and protest-driven core, this is a natural strategy. Their electorate expects conflict,’ Grashchenkov explained.
New People have a different audience. These are entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals, IT professionals, creative industries workers, urban youth, bloggers, and active professionals, namely people who do not always want to engage in politics as a constant battle but react strongly to bans, pressure, bureaucracy, and a decline in the quality of everyday life.
‘That’s why the party focuses not so much on broad media noise but on solidifying its core,’ he added.
As a result, New People are running a less noisy but sufficiently rational pre-campaign. They are not competing with the CPRF and SR in political shouting; instead, they are securing an audience for renewal.
The political expert divided the party’s target audience into several groups. Small businesses are concerned about taxes and inspections. The IT community is worried about internet regulation and restrictions. Bloggers and the creative industries are anxious due to the uncertainty of the rules. Urban youth are frustrated by the sense that their future is once again being shaped through the language of prohibitions. New People are speaking directly to these groups.
‘In this sense, their activity may appear minimal to an observer accustomed to measuring a campaign by the number of loud statements. But for the party, it is more important not to appear in the political news every day, but to maintain the trust of the groups that have driven its growth. High ratings also play a role here; the party does not need to burn through its resources too early,’ emphasised Grashchenkov.
According to him, cementing the image of a party of renewal is a more complex task than simply opposing the next ban. Bans have become the entry point, but beyond that, the party needs to demonstrate that it represents not just one issue, but an entire social group. That is exactly why New People are running a host of projects that look peripheral at first glance but actually work as a grassroots network to connect with their future base.
‘A late start to a large public campaign is logical. An early start is risky because you could burn out, annoy the audience, and fall victim to counterattacks from competitors. Especially when a party holds the status of the main contender for second place. Moreover, New People have already outlined their broad agenda against excessive bans and for a modern state. Now, the task is not to raise the stakes every day, but to show that this is not a one-off reaction to blocking, but a systematic position of the party,’ Grashchenkov concluded.
