08
Focus
RUSSIA BEYOND THE HEADLINES WWW.RBTH.RG.RU
BOOKMARKS www.cikrf.ru/eng RF Central Election Commission
www.duma.gov.ru Web-site of the Russian State Duma
SECTION SPONSORED BY ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA, RUSSIA
www.council.gov.ru/eng Web-site of the Upper
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THURSDAY_OCTOBER 25_2007
Chamber of the Russian Federal Assembly
Campaign In the second part of our series on the major players in the forthcoming elections, RBTH Michele A Berdy’s
introduces the leading Left-wing candidates and looks at what they can realistically hope to achieve
kitchen
By the Left…
A fairy-tale
cake
Three parties with different agendas hope to
One of Russia’s most beloved cakes is
whimsically named Bird’s Milk Cake. Created in
1978 by Vladimir Guralnik, head of the confec-
tionary shop at Moscow’s Praga restaurant, this
appeal to the less well-off voter
rich dish alternates thick but ethereal layers of
souffl with thin layers of cake.
Though a complete return to and user-friendliness. And,
the Soviet Union is favoured though the party officially
by few Russians, many condemns existing laws and
remain nostalgic about its the Constitution, it has made
extensive social provision. ample use of both, winning
Russia has three far-Left lawsuits in regional courts
parties in active competition and in the Constitutional
for their votes. Court.
Even after 16 years of capi- NIKOLAI KOROLEV_RBTH
ANNA ZAKATNOVA
talism, many party members
ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA have yet to accept the legali-
MOSCOW
sation of private property. Ingredients
Nevertheless, in the run-up
The Communists to the December 2 Duma Cake: 3/
4
cup sugar •
3
/
4
cup margarine • 3 eggs •
“The nation is leaning Left- elections, the party laid out a 1
1
/
2
cup sifted flour •
1
/
2
tsp vanilla
wards and getting redder,” comprehensive policy to- Souffl´e: 4 tbsp agar-agar (vegetarian gelatin) • 1
3
/
4

says Communist leader Gen- wards consumer credit. It cup water • 2
1
/
2
cup sugar • 1 tsp lemon juice • 3 egg
nady Zyuganov. He has said transpires that they were the whites • pinch of cream of tartar • 1 cup butter, softened at
this for the past seven years, only party to react to the room temperature •
1
/
2
cup sweetened condensed milk
though; and even his sup- wave of consumer credit and Chocolate glaze: 1 cup bittersweet chocolate bits •
porters are more likely to mortgages that has swept 2 tbsp butter
yawn than become invigo- over Russia in recent years.
rated by it. Judging by past Modern Communists are also Preparation
election campaigns, he may churchgoers. The party’s
well be repeating the mantra MPs regularly uphold the in- 1. Preheat oven to 450°F and grease two 9-inch round
for years to come. terests of the Orthodox reli- cake tins.
gion in parliament and some 2. Cream the margarine and sugar; beat in the eggs,
are personal friends of the then flour and vanilla. Pour in cake tins and place them in
‘Even United Russia Patriarch. the top part of the oven. Bake until golden (10 minutes).
can’t afford the Leftist
The party’s status as the of- Remove and cool.
pull. It has devoted
ficial opposition has also al- 3. In a small saucepan, mix the agar-agar and one cup
about a third of its
lowed it to split, marginalise of water. Heat over a low flame until dissolved; cool.
or assimilate Left-wing ri- 4. In a large saucepan, mix together
3
/
4
cup water,
manifesto to social vals. Though many of the sugar and dissolved agar-agar. Bring to a boil, then
policy… promising
party’s more dogmatic soul- reduce to a simmer and whisk constantly until the syrup
inflation-busting
mates have avoided being on thickens (about 40 minutes). When a spoon lifted from
increases for those
speaking terms with leader the syrup forms an unbroken stream, stir in the lemon
Gennady Zyuganov, they are juice and remove from the heat. Transfer to a heat-resis-
most likely to vote’ always fondly integrated tant container that pours and cool to room temperature.
into the annual march down 5. In a small bowl, cream the butter and then mix in the
Tverskaya, Moscow’s main sweetened condensed milk. Set aside.
Public opinion polls consis- street, on the anniversary of 6. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of
tently show the vast majority the October revolution. cream of tartar until the mass forms firm peaks. Beat-
of the population does not ing constantly with a mixer, pour in the cooled sugar and
want a return to the Soviet
The Agrarians
agar-agar syrup in a thin stream. Let stand 5 minutes.
Union. But no less interest- 7. Add the butter and condensed milk mixture to the egg
ingly, the same majority is in The one serious challenge to white and syrup mixture, mixing gently with a whisk and
favour of a return to Soviet the Communist monopoly on then with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined.
welfare – free medical care, the Left-wing vote is pre- 8. Grease a 9-inch round spring-form pan and alternate
free education, cheap trans- sented by the Agrarian Party layers of cake and souffl´e mixture. Place the cake in the
port, full employment, de- of Russia (APR). The reason refrigerator.
cent pensions and, above all, for this is their surprisingly 9. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate bits and butter;
confidence in the future. Re- large constituency. Though mix well. Use a spatula to cover the cake with chocolate
gardless of presentation, the majority of Russians live glaze. Refrigerate.
these are values that lie at the in cities, more than half of VLADIMIR FEDORENKO_RIA NOVOSTI NIKOLAI KOROLEV_RBTH NIKOLAI KOROLEV_RBTH
heart of the Left. But in order them go to the country every
to attract and keep the voters weekend to visit their da- Gennady Vladimir Gennady
on their side, parties of all chas, much closer to tradi- ZYUGANOV PLOTNIKOV SEMIGIN
persuasions have had to en- tional peasant homes than Age 63: Leader of the Communist Party of Age 45: Leader of Russia’s Agrarian Age 46: Leader of Russian Patriots
Football
gage with them. real commercial agricultural Russia; head of its parliamentary group. Party of Russia; deputy chairman of the Party. Millionaire MP in State Duma. PhD
Even the United Russia farms. You might be convers- Has an MA in physics and mathematics Committee on Agrarian Policy in the in politics. Received MA in law and
Party, with an unchallenged ing with your friend in a five- from the Oryol Teachers Training State Duma. MA in agronomy. Worked economics. Qualified bank economist
majority in parliament, can’t star Moscow hotel, when you Institute. In 1967 began a career as a at a local state farm as agronomist and specialising in international financial
ignore the Leftist pull. Try- hear them complain – in all full-time Communist Party official, later deputy director. In 2005 was elected currency operations. In 1991 merged
ing to keep pace with its ri- sincerity – that the winter working in the “ideology” department of president of the Association of several private companies to form the
vals, the Communist Party was too warm and could the party’s Central Committee. In 1993 Agricultural Farms and Co-operatives Russian Financial Industrial Group.
has devoted about a third of harm the potato harvest. was elected chairman of the party’s of Russia. Until 2003 was captain of the Martial arts expert and Soviet champion
its manifesto to the detail of The country is more than just Central Executive Committee. State Duma parliamentary soccer team. in karate (1982).
social policy: to promises of a habit – it is a lifestyle. It is
inflation-busting cash in- also why APR has turned out
MICHAIL FOMICHEV_RIA NOVOSTI
creases for those most likely to be one of Russia’s most re- steppes of southern Russia, the APR’s chances of over- Communist Party in 2004: the Russian middle class to
to vote – pensioners and pub- silient and successful politi- and directly involved in ag- coming the 7pc eligibility rebels either didn’t get on be too small to support a
lic sector employees, partic- cal parties. The party has riculture all his life. A devout threshold, however, Khari- with leader Zyuganov or centre-Left party.
ularly teachers, doctors and been strongly represented in agronomist, he left his fields tonov defected back to the they wanted a faster trans- Headed by Gennady Semi-
civil servants. only when elected to the Communists. gin – one of the few Duma From Russia with loss
In this context, traditional State Duma. There are defections the deputies to officially admit On October 17, Russia beat England 2-1 at
Left-wing parties find them- ‘The rural population The rural population is also other way, too. Vasily Shan- ‘Headed by Gennady being a millionaire – the dis- Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium in a qualifying
selves under increasing pres-
is also the poorest,
the poorest in Russia, and it dy bin, who has the cheery
Semigin – one of the
senters attracted members match for the 2008 UEFA European Football
sure as to where their home
and it remembers the
remembers the Soviet wel- appearance of a real Bolshe-
turf lies, and are constantly fare system with particular
few Duma deputies
from a number of smaller Championship. The final whistle of Spanish ref-
obliged to re-invent them-
Soviet welfare
vik, was displeased with his eree Luis Medina Cantalejo was barely heard
fondness. So Communist and status in the Communist
officially to admit
parties, and during the elec-
tions they were joined by as 75,000 spectators cheered wildly. Millions
selves. The result of this is system with Agrarian policymakers are Party and defected the other being a millionaire – members of the unregistered who watched the game on TV also rejoiced,
that some of the most modern
particular fondness.
permanently competing for way. Such changes take place
the Patriots
Great Russia Party that had singing, dancing and taking to the streets. Po-
methods of political struggle
are currently being pioneered
Communists and
the rural vote. Nikolai Khari- in these parties every election lice reported fights between supporters and
tonov, a former APR mem- season.
attracted members
an established nationalistic
several dozen were arrested, but violations
in the most unlikely quarters. Agrarians compete ber, is a living symbol of this
from a number of
reputation.
They have absolutely no were minor.
The Communist Party of the
for the rural vote’
competition. Before joining
The Patriots
smaller parties’ chance of getting into the The authorities took great efforts to protect the
Russian Federation (KPRF) the Agrarians, he was elected Duma and have not achieved 4,500 English fans, busing them to the stadium
was the first to conduct alter- to the Duma on the Commu- Perhaps the most unlikely of much at regional elections. and searching them before allowing them to
native vote counts at polling regional parliaments and has nist list, and it was the Com- candidates in the Duma formation into a social- Essentially, Patriots of Rus- take their seats in the grandstand surrounded
stations, and was also one of always had several federal munist Party that nominated elections are those from the democratic party. For their sia is a party of one man who by metal barriers. ILYA ZUBKO / RG
the first Russian parties to go MPs. Its leader is Vladimir him as its candidate at the Patriots of Russia Party. part, Zyuganov’s supporters wants to be a leader. Which
online. To this day, its web- Plotnikov, born in the village previous presidential elec- They arrived on the scene were cautious about such a is certainly not uncommon More about Russian football on
site is a paradigm of quality of Gusevka in the Volga tions. Amid scepticism about following a split within the transformation, believing in Russia.
-
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in this supplement
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golikova@rg.ru
fax +44 (870) 928 9823
www.yudu.com/russia2
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