Direct mayoral elections in Ulan-Ude were abolished because the authorities perceive them as a representation of 'Western values.' This information was shared by the People’s Khural (parliament) of Buryatia on March 28.
Aldar Gulgenov, the Chief Administrator of Buryatia's leadership, compared direct elections to 'Western values,' as reported by the 'Siberian Express' media outlet. The head of Ulan-Ude will now be elected by the city council.
"The introduction of the Western electoral system began in the 90s. Now, we can clearly see the direction these Western values are taking," said Gulgenov.
In February 2024, the discussion of canceling direct mayoral elections was taken off the parliament’s agenda. Deputy Bair Tsyrenov, representing the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), suggested that it was due to the upcoming presidential elections, as the limitation of voters’ rights would have outraged the residents of Ulan-Ude.
After the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, direct mayoral elections were cancelled in Tomsk and Novosibirsk. Currently, this form of election remains only in Khabarovsk, Anadyr, Abakan,Yakutsk, and cities of federal subject significance. Follow the link to read '7x7's explainer on why the abolition of direct mayoral elections is bad news.