Russia to hold election for 20 governorships, with no representatives from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) or the A just Party (EPR) participating.
In the lead-up to the 2025 Russian gubernatorial elections, political parties are strategizing their candidate selection to consolidate and maintain power, with United Russia aiming to reaffirm its influence across all government levels.
United Russia, the ruling party, is focusing on promoting Kremlin-loyal elites, including veterans of the Ukraine war, to secure electoral dominance and sustain political stability in favour of the current regime. The party is nominating candidates who signal allegiance to central authorities and align with President Putin’s authority, even if not overtly using his image.
Opposition parties, on the other hand, face severe challenges due to political repression and legal hurdles. They are navigating these obstacles by coalition-building and internal primaries, focusing on anti-corruption and reformist platforms. However, they remain heavily constrained by repression and legal challenges.
In the Komi region, Rostislav Golstein is the acting regional head and will run for election, with no Communist Party opponent due to failing the municipal filter. Larisa Egorova, a deputy of the regional legislature, is representing the SRZP in the Irkutsk region's gubernatorial election. In the Arkhangelsk region, six participants, including Alexander Tsybulsky, are vying for the regional head position.
Sergei Levchenko, the former regional head and Communist Party (CPRF) representative, managed to pass the municipal filter and secured the status of a registered candidate in the Irkutsk region. He will challenge the incumbent governor from the United Russia (ER) party, Igor Kobyakov. In Perm Krai, the candidate list includes incumbent regional head Dmitry Makhonin and several others, including Vyacheslav Luchnikov who was disqualified after registration due to failing the municipal filter.
To register as a gubernatorial candidate, one must submit documents and signatures of municipal deputies in support, known as the "municipal filter." Signatures must be collected from at least three-quarters of municipal districts, municipal and city okrugs. Each candidate must collect between 5% and 10% of signatures from the total number of local deputies.
The elections for the heads of regions will take place on September 12-14 in multiple regions, including Kamchatka, Komi, Perm Krai, Leningrad Oblast, Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Arkhangelsk, Novgorod, Sverdlovsk, Chuvashia, Irkutsk, Kaluga, Kostroma, Orenburg, Rostov, Tambov Oblasts, Sevastopol, Tatarstan, Krasnodar Krai, Bryansk, and Kursk Oblasts.
In summary, the 2025 Russian gubernatorial elections are shaping up to be a balance between Kremlin-controlled elite reinforcement by the ruling party and fragmented opposition efforts to present viable alternatives under difficult conditions. The main challenge for governors now is to fulfill the federal center's task of maximizing turnout in the elections while also maximizing their own results.
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