Oleg Polstovalov: “The majority of newly established political parties look like political movements”

Great variety can be observed on the political arena of Bashkortostan today. Residents RB can become adherents of more than two dozens political parties. The deputy of the State Council-Kutultay-RB Oleg Polstovalov thinks that the majority of the parties, recently established, look more like political movements.

“If you aren’t going to take part in the political process, please, establish public movements” – he says – “The lion’s share of these parties can’t introduce any sizeable number of electors. Though it is quite possible to establish public movements now, political parties become more attractive for some reason. It seems the matter is a sort of political prestige, i.e. such parties can participate in the political process at least formally. None of the modern countries, having well-developed democratic systems, have such great number of parties for today”.

The deputy admits that the new law about political parties raised public and political activity of population but this system still fails to give the result, expected earlier.

“A rather mixed feeling arises: from one side there is the understanding that political pluralism is useful for democratic society and it increases political responsibility and political competence of our citizens but from the other side establishment of such mini-parties represents not a political project but a PR-action and it causes certain apprehension since such parties aren’t always responsible concerning the political process” – the deputy mentioned.