On Tuesday, April 16, Russian Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, approved in the first reading a bill returning independent constituencies to the federal parliamentary polls.

      The new bill drafted by the presidential administration returns the previous mixed composition of the parliament with half of the 450 MPs being elected on party lists and the other half – in independent electoral districts. These constituencies will be territorial areas with approximately the same number of voters.

      The draft law allows both independent and party candidates to run in the electoral districts, but it does not allow parties to form blocs to support single candidates. The parties are allowed to back non-partisan candidates but not members of other parties. Also party members should form at least one half of the total number of candidates on a party list.

      The bill was supported by the ruling United Russia party, but criticized by two other major parties holding seats in the current parliament – the Liberal Democrats and the Communists - who said the bill would reduce political competition in the country. However, the draft was passed in the first reading by 296 against 148 with one abstention.