Search for a New Model of Political Participation in the Regions: United Russia Primaries and Political Processes in Europe

Abstract

Subject. The article analyzes the experience of the preliminary voting of the United Russia party in the context of the problems of strengthening the party-political system of the state. Topic. The search for a new model of political participation in the regions: the primaries of United Russia and political processes in Europe. Purposes. To analyze the experience of the preliminary voting of the United Russia party in the context of the problems of strengthening the party-political system both in the regions of the Russian Federation and in the states of Europe. Methodology. Complex systems approach, classical institutional method, neoinstitutional approach, elements of critical theory and poststructuralism, political and cultural method. Results. The primaries of United Russia are a step towards the consolidation of the party and political system, an important act that allows improving the personnel composition of the current government structures, as well as supporting all healthy political forces in the country. The importance of new media in shaping the party agenda, as well as the significant role of electronic voting in the digital age in the context of the emergence of influential political networks, is emphasized. Russia is moving away from the crisis electoral models that exist in the West in the conditions of stagnation of neoliberal globalization, and is forming its own vector of strengthening the political participation of voters in real political processes. Scope of application. The results of the research can be applied by specialists in the field of regional policy and political management, regional and world economy, teachers and students of higher educational institutions. Conclusions. The testing of the model of political participation of citizens during the preliminary voting in May — June 2021 has shown its effectiveness and can play a constructive role in the political processes in the regions and in Russia as a whole. Keywords: Political participation, primaries, electronic voting, populism, new electoral models.