How many MPs are in the Duma and how are they elected?
There are 450 MPs or “deputies” in the State Duma lower house of parliament. In the outgoing Duma, half of them were elected by proportional representation and half, like MPs in the UK, from single mandate districts. About 100 of the latter were initially independents or from small parties, although many later joined pro-Kremlin factions. From this year, according to new legislation initiated by President Vladimir Putin and adopted in 2005, deputies will be chosen by proportional representation only, according to lists of candidates drawn up by the parties. Any party getting more than 7% of all the votes made will get seats according to its share of the total. The ballots given to parties getting less than 7% of the vote will be distributed proportionally among those who do clear the threshold. This means the parties that do clear the threshold – particularly the Kremlin-controlled United Russia – will get a much bigger share of the seats than their real poll support implies. The thres
