Russian opposition leaders are going to set up a new democratic coalition or "megaparty" to make it the strongest opposition power to the current authorities.

       The proposal comes from the co-chairmen of the unregistered People’s Freedom Party (Parnas) Mikhail Kasyanov, Boris Nemtsov and Vladimir Ryzhkov. According to "Kommersant" newspaper, consultations are being held with the liberal Yabloko party, former Union of Right Forces, Solidarnost democratic coalition, former Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Kudrin, presidential candidate Mikhail Prokhorov and anti-corruption blogger Aleksey Navalny.

      The idea of creation of such "megaparty" came into being after President Dmitry Medvedev suggested a lower membership threshold for the registration of new parties. If the new coalition be officially created, its participants will have to give up their own groups. Their coalition would constitute a union of equals.

      However, not all opposition leaders have taken this idea with enthusiasm. Yabloko leader Sergey Mitrokhin refused to join the new political power, but said he would support its ideas if he finds them interesting. 

       The new coalition will be created on a base of the People's Freedom Party, which was set up in 2010 by four small formations. The party tried to get the official registration, but the Russia's Ministry of Justice didn't give its approval. 

      Russia's modern history knows several unsuccessful attempts to create joined liberal-democratic coalition. The most notable example was an attempt to join SPS and "Yabloko" parties in 2003, before parliamentary elections.  

Sources: Lenta.ru Ng.ru Image: aif.ru