United Russia: Difference between revisions

}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/07/medvedev-tweet-russian-blogosphere-frenzy|title=Medvedev 'tweet' sends the Russian blogosphere into a frenzy|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 December 2011}}</ref> due to the continuing prevalence of [[corruption in Russia]].<ref name=Tel>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/8938435/Police-and-protesters-clash-in-Moscow-after-election-protests.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/8938435/Police-and-protesters-clash-in-Moscow-after-election-protests.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Police and protesters clash in Moscow after election protests|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=6 December 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He argues it by the presence in the party of major officials and businessmen involved in corruption and criminal cases. In October 2011, ''[[Novaya Gazeta]]'' published an article describing how members of the public were writing the slogan on banknotes in protest.<ref>[http://www.novayagazeta.ru/politics/48920.html "«Жулики и воры» пошли по рукам"] (12 October 2011). ''Novaya Gazeta''.</ref> In December 2011, Putin rejected the accusation of corruption, saying that it was a general problem that was not restricted to one particular party: "They say that the ruling party is associated with theft, with corruption, but it's a cliché related not to a certain political force, it's a cliché related to power. ... What's important, however, is how the ruling government is fighting these negative things".<ref name=Tel/> A poll taken in November 2011 found that more than one-third of Russians agreed with the characterisation of United Russia as "the party of crooks and thieves".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204903804577080122299864722|title=Putin Faces Push to Regain Support After Election|website=The Wall Street Journal|date=6 December 2011|access-date=10 December 2011}}</ref> After the 2011 legislative elections, a few leaders within United Russia called for investigations of fraud and reform of the party.<ref name=NYTinsiders>{{cite news|title=An Insider Takes a Public Stand Against Putin's Party|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/29/world/europe/party-members-confront-united-russia-on-fraud-claims.html|access-date=28 December 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=28 December 2011|first=Michael|last=Schwirtz}}</ref> According to the [[Levada Center]] in April 2013, about half of Russians agreed with this characterization of the party.<ref>[http://www.mk.ru/politics/russia/article/2013/04/29/848604-rossiyane-priznali-quoterquot-partiey-quotzhulikov-i-vorovquot.html Россияне признали «ЕР» партией «жуликов и воров» //mk.ru, 29 апреля 2013]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rosbalt.ru/main/2013/04/29/1123735.html |title=«Левада-центр»: Свыше половины россиян считают «Единую Россию» «партией жуликов и воров» //росбалт, 29 апреля 2013 |trans-title=Levada Center: Over half of Russians consider United Russia to be a “party of crooks and thieves” //Rosbalt, April 29, 2013 |access-date=2013-04-29 |archive-date=2013-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501122751/http://www.rosbalt.ru/main/2013/04/29/1123735.html}}</ref><ref name="levadaer04-2013">''Levada Center''[http://www.levada.ru/29-04-2013/svyshe-poloviny-strany-schitaet-er-partiei-zhulikov-i-vorov Свыше половины страны считает ЕР «партией жуликов и воров»], Levada Center, 29.04.2013</ref>

 

 

===Allegations of illegal business activities===