Russia’s Justice Ministry has denied registration to a political party created by three prominent opposition leaders.
Wednesday’s decision means the People’s Freedom Party will be unable to participate in parliamentary elections later this year. It also makes it extremely difficult for the party to put forward a candidate to run in the presidential election next March.
The Justice Ministry gave a number of reasons for denying the party registration, including that its charter does not provide for a rotation of its leadership as the ministry says is required by law.
President Dmitry Medvedev has pledged to increase political competition in Russia. Under his predecessor, Vladimir Putin, opposition parties were denied seats in parliament and squeezed out of politics.
