8,000 people apply to join Russia's Yabloko party after its removal from Duma race
Some 8,000 people have applied to join Russia's opposition Yabloko party over the past two weeks — twice its current membership — following its exclusion from the State Duma election. A party official says the surge reflects a need for solidarity amid disappointment.
Russia's opposition Yabloko party has received about 8,000 membership applications over the past two weeks, Kirill Goncharov, head of the party's Moscow branch, said in an interview with the independent journalist cooperative Bereg.
Goncharov said the party currently has roughly 4,000 members, meaning its ranks could potentially triple if all applications are approved. The wave of interest began after Yabloko was excluded from the State Duma election.
According to Goncharov, many people feel demotivated and disappointed by the party's removal, but staying connected with like-minded people can provide both political and psychological support. He added that the number of applications may keep growing, since the broader election campaign is still underway and Yabloko candidates remain in the race for regional parliaments.
Removal from the ballot
Russia's Supreme Court struck Yabloko's federal party list from the State Duma election on August 10. The formal basis was a lawsuit from the Rodina party, which accused Yabloko of copyright violations in its campaign materials and of using "extremist" slogans. A week later, the court rejected an appeal filed by Yabloko's lawyers against that decision.
Hundreds of Yabloko supporters had gathered outside the Supreme Court before the first hearing, and police subsequently issued written warnings to some of them against joining unauthorized rallies. On August 17, when the court heard the appeal, at least 50 people were detained outside the courthouse. Most were released without an official report being filed, though at least three received administrative arrests.
