Pro-Kremlin party officially handed supermajority in Duma

By DARIA LITVINOVA
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian election authorities have officially announced the final results of last week’s parliamentary vote, in which the Kremlin’s party retained its supermajority amid widespread reports of violations and incidents of voter fraud. Russia’s Central Election Commission has declared the election of the new parliament, or the State Duma, “conclusive and valid,” the commission’s chair said Friday. The results gave United Russia 324 seats out of 450. The vote, which was largely seen as part of President Vladimir Putin’s effort to cement his grip on power ahead of the 2024 presidential election, excluded most opposition politicians and was marred by numerous reports of ballot-stuffing and other incidents of voter fraud.