Electoral setback for Putin despite winning majority

VLADIMIR PUTIN’S ruling party clung to a much reduced majority in parliament after an election that showed growing weariness with the man who has dominated Russia for more than a decade and plans to return to the presidency next year.

President Dmitry Medvedev said the election was “fair, honest and democratic”, but European monitors said the field was slanted in favour of Putin’s United Russia and the vote marred by apparent manipulations, including ballot-box stuffing.

In the biggest electoral setback for Putin since he rose to power in 1999, the Central Election Commission said United Russia was set to lose 77 seats in the State Duma and end up with 238, a slim majority in the 450-member lower house.