Putin urges fair vote but rejects rerun calls

RUSSIAN Prime Minister Vladimir Putin yesterday said the March election, in which he will seek to reclaim presidency, should be transparent and fair, but rejected demands from swelling numbers of protesters for a rerun of the fraud-tainted parliamentary election.

Putin’s United Russia party barely retained its majority in the December 4 election despite alleged vote-rigging in its favour. Tens of thousands have protested since, urging an end to Putin’s rule, including a Moscow rally last weekend that was the largest show of discontent since the Soviet collapse 20 years ago.

Putin, who was president from 2000 to 2008 and remained the country’s most powerful figure after switching to the premier’s seat, has responded to the protests by offering to ease his rigid controls over the political field. At the same time, he has sought to cast protesters as Western stooges working to weaken Russia.