United Russia reportedly set to strip Slutsky of Duma foreign affairs committee post
Sources cited by Vedomosti say the ruling United Russia party plans to replace LDPR's Leonid Slutsky as head of the State Duma's international affairs committee in the new parliament. A final decision will come only after September's election.
The Russian business daily Vedomosti reports, citing sources in the State Duma and people close to the Presidential Administration, that the ruling United Russia party intends to regain control of the international affairs committee, one of the chamber's key panels, currently chaired by Leonid Slutsky of the LDPR since 2016.
According to the sources, the leading candidate to take over as committee chair is Pyotr Tolstoy, currently a State Duma deputy speaker representing United Russia. A second, less likely candidate named is Vyacheslav Nikonov, who currently serves as the committee's first deputy chair.
The sources say Slutsky would retain his position as head of the LDPR faction in the new Duma even if he loses the committee post. A final decision on the composition and structure of Duma committees will not be made until after the upcoming election.
Background
In 2018, several female journalists from the parliamentary press pool publicly accused Slutsky of harassment. A parliamentary ethics commission found no violations in his conduct at the time, and Slutsky, who has never admitted wrongdoing, ignored calls for him to resign from the Duma.
Russia will elect its ninth State Duma in a vote scheduled for September 18–20, and the newly elected lower house must hold its first session within 30 days of the election.
