Monday, February 13, 2012

Russia

Russia Holds Last Regional Governor's Election

23 January 2005 -- Russia held the last gubernatorial election today before reforms introduced by President Vladimir Putin give the Kremlin the power to nominate the heads of regional governments.

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January 23, 2005

Voters in the northern Nenets Autonomous Okrug cast ballots to choose their governor from 15 candidates.

Putin introduced the reforms as part of a package he said was needed to combat the threat of terrorism. The measure followed a raid by Chechen militants on a school that killed more than 300 people in the southern town of Beslan in September.

Apart from scrapping gubernatorial elections, Putin has also ordered a change in the rules for registering political parties and electing the nation's parliament. Critics say the last move has complicated life for his political opposition.

(Reuters)

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