United Russia Wins Russian Parliamentary Election, Retaining Majority in State Duma
Russia's ruling United Russia party won over 57% of the party-list vote, preliminary results showed Sept. 21, securing a majority in the 450-seat State Duma.
RUSSIA,POLITICS
Global N Press
9/21/20261 min read
MOSCOW, September 21, 2026 — Russia’s ruling United Russia party won more than 57% of the party-list vote in the country’s parliamentary election, according to preliminary results released by the Central Election Commission on September 21, securing a majority in the 450-seat State Duma. The election, held from September 18 to 20, was Russia’s first parliamentary vote since the full-scale conflict in Ukraine began in February 2022. President Vladimir Putin had urged Russians to vote and described participation as a demonstration of national unity and support for the country’s policies. Near-final results showed United Russia winning 349 seats, allowing it to retain a constitutional majority in the lower house. Official nationwide turnout was reported at 59.32%.
Voting was also conducted in Ukrainian territories that Russia claims to have annexed, a process Ukraine and the European Union have rejected as illegitimate. Opposition figures criticized restrictions on political competition and reported alleged irregularities, while Russian authorities said the election was conducted in accordance with national law. The new State Duma will continue to handle federal legislation, budget approval and scrutiny of government policy. The result leaves the Kremlin-aligned party with a dominant position in parliament, providing the government with continued legislative support for its domestic agenda and policies related to the war in Ukraine.
