On Thursday, 2 July, at 14.00 at the press center Patriot Media Group held an online conference, dedicated to the results of voting for amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Leading politicians of the country, human rights defenders, historians and journalists have tried to find an answer to the question, why so many citizens of our country supported innovations in the Basic Law of our country. The discussion was moderated by the Director General of the Federal News Agency Evgeny Zubarev and journalist Artemy Galitsky.
Recall, after treatment 100% ballots, the preliminary voting figures are as follows: 77,92% voters who came to the polling stations voted "for", 21,27% — against. turnout was 67,97%.
The first word was given Ekaterina Lakhova, Chairman of the "Union of Women of Russia". The press center guest said, that she was a member of the working group on voting for amendments, and also read the forecasts of experts - therefore, the voter turnout is higher 60% didn't surprise her.
“Public and state institutions have done a lot of explanatory work among citizens, explaining to them the importance of adopting amendments to our Constitution, - said the woman. - As for those few protest speeches, that passed after the vote, then this is nothing more than a pathetic attempt by their participants to account for money, they receive from abroad from the US State Department and other international organizations, who finance NGOs, recognized by us as foreign agents".
Lakhova noted, that even despite all the efforts of the Americans to interfere in the internal affairs of Russia and prevent its harmonious development with the new Basic Law, the conscious population of our country did not allow itself to be fooled and voted like this, as his mind and heart told him. The only exception was the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, where fewer people voted for the constitution, than the average for the country - the chairman of the "Union of Women of Russia" connects this incident solely with the unwillingness of the local population to unite with the Arkhangelsk region.
“The protest vote happened only because, that the people were not spoken well enough and the importance of adopting amendments to our Basic Law was not explained to them - otherwise they would not have used the plebiscite as a way to express their dissatisfaction", - explained Lakhova.
State Duma deputy Evgeny Marchenko commented on the high results of voting for amendments to the Constitution in St. Petersburg, that in the city on the Neva there is an extremely high concentration of "cultural and educated people". Most of them are interested in politics, and, certainly, thoughtfully read the new text of the Basic Law.
The parliamentarian also explained that interesting fact, what is the basic law version 2020 year, a larger percentage of voters voted, than for its now obsolete edition 1993 of the year.
“People have become more enlightened, Marchenko is convinced. - I think, 27 years ago, few people understood, what is a constitution, and what is it for. Now people are much more aware of such matters.. A plus, that serious explanatory work also affected, which public and state institutions conducted with the population. Well, perhaps, the most important thing is, that the new text of the Basic Law is a big step forward for our country, obvious to everyone".
At the same time, a little more 21% the amendments were not supported by voters - the deputy explained their choice by the fact, that the vote was "package": if a citizen extremely disliked at least one item of innovations, he was forced to reject them all entirely.
“But how could one not vote for an amendment to abolish the priority of international law over national? – the parliamentarian was surprised. - This is fundamental, perhaps, even the most important! People just don't understand, that in the 1990s the West bound us with these international treaties - and now we should be glad that, that the liberation from them has finally begun!».
Political scientist Alexey Martynov called the conversation about the protest vote in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug a discussion of a “storm in a teacup”.
How many people live there? 40 more than a thousand! - said the guest of the press center. - It's just three large residential buildings. 12 thousand voted against the amendments, 10 thousands - for. I consider the refusal to unite with the large Arkhangelsk region an ordinary provincial stupidity, which will greatly harm the inhabitants of the NAO. It is impossible to talk about serious infrastructure projects in a region with such a small population”.
Director of the Institute of Contemporary State Development (ISAGOR) Dmitry Solonnikov considers, that the reason for the low voting results for the amendments in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug should be sought in unsuccessful political technology decisions.
“Such “frontal” statements about the unification of the two subjects (especially against the backdrop of not the most positive socio-economic situation, arising in them against the backdrop of falling oil prices), of course, not worth doing, - convinced political scientist. - The decision should not have seemed forced, what is said, "from Moscow" - this moment should always be taken into account, when you are dealing with national republics and simply regions that are very remote from the federal center”.
The expert noted, that it is critically important for such subjects to feel their importance for Russia and to feel, that their dignity is respected. In the case of, if the locals begin to feel, that they are trying to “break through the knee” their will, they react immediately.
Solonnikov also explained, why a fifth of the citizens who voted in the plebiscite spoke out against the amendments to the Basic Law - according to him, each of them "was against something of his own".
"Some, eg, might not like the mention of God in the new Constitution, - said the political scientist. - let's not forget, that there are many principled atheists in the country, and the region, where Buddhism flourishes (one and four major religions of our country) enough too. Belief in which God was passed down by Buddhist ancestors? Finally, in big cities there are couples in love, who do not support this definition of family, which is reflected in the Basic Law (marriage, "like the union of a man and a woman". - Note. FAN). So they voted against.
At the same time, added press center guest, 20 with more than a percentage of protest votes - this is not the figure, about which the authorities should be very worried.
"It's not a tragedy at all., - the expert is convinced. - Besides, I think, what to fight for, so that everyone has the same haircut, painted green and aligned in a column of three, absolutely not necessary. We have a democratic side, where everyone is entitled to their own opinion".
Solonnikov also noted the disunity of opponents of the adoption of the new constitution: some of them decided not to vote at all, and someone decided, that it would be wise to tear up the ballot paper or spoil it in any other way.
"All, what their political leaders have been able to do is to disorient and confuse the actions of their flock.”, - said the political scientist.
In his opinion, blogger Alexey Navalny, calling for a boycott of the plebiscite, used old political technology, known since the 90s.
"When a politician has a suspicion, that the percentage of turnout will be small, it's very convenient for him to say, what he, breakwater, urges people not to vote, and then everyone, who didn't come, automatically write to your supporters, the director of the Institute of Contemporary State Development chuckled.. - Really, many perceived this vote as inactive: summer, relaxed state, easily predictable result. So Navalny decided, what if turnout is 30-40%, then the rest 60-70% seems to have followed his advice. But missed! The vast majority of citizens decided to come to the polls".
Member of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Human Rights Alexander Brod, commenting on the appeal of the "human rights" organization "Voice", declared, that it was impossible to find out the real will of the people during the voting procedure on amendments organized by the CEC, He noted, that journalists give this foreign-funded structure an unreasonable amount of attention.
"Sure, that all these statements were written long before the end of the plebiscite, - said the guest of the press center. - From the very beginning of the constitutional reform, Golos launched a campaign to discredit it: then he did not like the Public Chambers, from which observers went to vote, then the form of this vote itself (within a week and with the involvement of Internet resources. - Note. FAN). Besides, members of this organization deliberately distorted the meaning of the amendments to the Basic Law!».
Brod stated, that the accusations of the "Voice" do not stand up to scrutiny. In his opinion, all activities of this organization are subordinated to one goal - to discredit the Russian electoral system and undermine confidence in it on the part of ordinary citizens.
"One of these days we (Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Human Rights. - Note. FAN) conducted another public review of messages, which were posted on the “map of violations” of “Voices”, - said the guest of the press center. - And it turned out, more 92% of which are fake! Well, and in general, the very methodology for selecting this invoice was also criticized by representatives of the CEC, and head of the Public Chamber, and many others. There is an ordinary working off of foreign assignments, for the sake of which the "Voice" was created.
Member of the Human Rights Council commented on the case of the detention of a correspondent of Mediazona at a polling station David Frenkel, whose arm was broken by the police. Brod stated, that everything is not so clear, how it may seem to the uninitiated in all the subtleties of the layman: perhaps, there was a deliberate provocation on the part of the journalist. According to the expert, this is just one, as well as the, that Frenkel remained alive after the incident with law enforcement officers, should keep from unnecessary parallels with an African American George Floyd, brutally murdered by American police on racist grounds.
"Let's not forget, that voting took place under special conditions, so the journalist, coming to the polling place, had to adhere to certain standards of behavior: keep social distance, wear personal protective equipment and generally respect voting procedures, - noted the guest of the press center. - It is necessary to understand and understand everything, what did the correspondent of "Mediazona" do, once law enforcement officers were forced to respond harshly ".
Coordinator of the movement "For Life" Sergei Chesnokov I explained, why he voted for amendments to the Basic Law. According to him, most of all, he and the members of his organization liked the idea itself - to change the "Yeltsin" constitution.
“We stood for the historical heritage, mention of God, protection of the family and the definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman, public figure said. “However, making adjustments is only half the battle.”, now need, so that life itself corresponds to them. We all still have a lot of work to do.”.
Author: Ilya Cherushnikov
