The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation removed the anti-war Yabloko party from the State Duma elections

Russia’s Supreme Court granted the lawsuit filed by the Rodina party and removed the anti-war Yabloko party from the State Duma elections scheduled to take place in September, UNN reports. 

"The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has ruled: to grant the administrative lawsuit filed by the Rodina political party. To cancel the registration of the federal list of candidates for deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, nominated by the Russian Yabloko party," said Vyacheslav Kirillov, a judge of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. 

It should be noted that the Rodina party, founded by former head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin and chaired by Alexei Zhuravlyov, first deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma’s Defense Committee, who threatened to use force on a large scale against Finland, demanded that the registration of the Yabloko party’s list be cancelled, citing alleged copyright violations. The claims included the use of the phrases "May There Always Be Sunshine" and "If Only There Were No War," a photograph of Hiroshima, an image created using ChatGPT, and the party’s logo.

According to Russian media reports, this is the first case in Russia’s modern history in which a party registered to participate in elections has been removed from the ballot.

The press service of the Yabloko party stated that it plans to appeal the decision, while media outlets clarify that the decision will not take effect until the appeal procedures are completed.

It should be noted that elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation will be held over the unified voting days, from September 18 to 20, 2026. A total of 450 deputies will be elected under a parallel (non-compensatory) electoral system: 225 deputies will be elected in single-member districts, and another 225 will be elected from party lists. 

Russia’s Central Election Commission has completed the registration of 11 parties for the State Duma elections, including: 

• The Communist Party of the Russian Federation;
• the New People party;
• the United Russia party;
• the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia;
• the A Just Russia party;
• the Communists of Russia party;
• the Pensioners’ Party;
• the Rodina party;
• the Direct Democracy party;
• the Greens party. 

The Yabloko party is described as one of the "anti-war parties." It is running in the elections under the slogan: "For peace and freedom. For a life without fear. For a ceasefire agreement, diplomacy, and achieving peace." 

"Our goal is to prevent nuclear war. For a Russia free from fear and political repression. For preserving life, respect, dignity, and human well-being. Our goal is a prosperous democratic Russia," the party’s program states. 

Previously 

After the State Duma elections in the Russian Federation, "martial law or elements of it" may be introduced.