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RIA Novosti
The deputies of the liberal democratic party, headed by Vice-speaker of the state Duma Igor Lebedev introduced to the Senate a bill which suggest to cancel “day of silence” before the elections, it follows from the electronic database of the lower house of Parliament.
MPs propose to allow the campaign events until after the election that, according to developers of the bill will increase voter turnout and to promote their implementation in accordance with the democratic principles of openness and freedom.
As stated in the explanatory Memorandum to the bill, its purpose is to eliminate limitations in conducting campaign activities during the election campaign. The current legislation provides for the “day of silence”, that is, preceding the day of the election period during which it is forbidden to call for a vote to Express preference for any candidate or the electoral Association, to describe the possible consequences in the case of the election of a particular candidate and so on.
So, there are certain restrictions on certain types of campaign events. However, the developers of the bill believe that, as practice shows, the above limitations identified in the current electoral legislation, are deprived of their main meaning and purpose — to provide voters with free time to assess the advantages and disadvantages on parties and candidates to make an informed decision about voting, and not under the influence of momentary emotions, the agitation caused by the events.
Members noted that in Germany, Sweden, the UK and some other countries there is no “day of silence”, “that does not prevent free expression of will of voters”.