Democratic Choice of Russia

The Democratic Choice of Russia (DCR),[a] known before 1994 as the "Choice of Russia" Bloc (CR),[b] was a Russian centre-right conservative-liberal political party. Later the party was self-disbanded and most members would merge into the Union of Right Forces.[1]

Democratic Choice of Russia
Демократический выбор России
AbbreviationDVR (English)
ДВР (Russian)
LeaderYegor Gaidar
Founded17 October 1993 (1993-10-17) (Choice of Russia bloc)
12 June 1994 (1994-06-12) (Democratic Choice of Russia party)
Dissolved19 May 2001 (2001-05-19)
Succeeded byUnion of Right Forces
Headquarters23th Building, Profsoyuznaya Street, Moscow
Newspaper"Democratic Choice",
magazine "Open politics"
IdeologyConservative liberalism
Liberal conservatism
Political positionCentre-right
Colours  White
  Blue
  Red
Slogan"Liberty, Property, Legality"
(Russian: "Свобода, Собственность, Законность")
Seats in the 1st State Duma
64 / 450
Seats in the 2nd State Duma
9 / 450
Website
dvr.ru
Logo of the Choice of Russia (1993-1994)

Background and establishment

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At the elections to the State Duma held on 12 December 1993, the Choice of Russia bloc (the predecessor to the Democratic Choice of Russia) received 15.51% of the vote, and consequently, 40 seats in the State Duma.

On 20 January 1994, having lost influence over making economic decisions and opposed to the increase of budget expenditure, the leader of the Choice of Russia, Yegor Gaidar, resigned from the government headed by Viktor Chernomyrdin. At that point the Choice of Russia lost its status as a pro-government faction, yet at the same time it continued to support president Boris Yeltsin and Chernomyrdin's government by providing constructive criticism of their policies.

On 12 and 13 June 1994, the founding meeting of the party Democratic Choice of Russia was held. At the meeting, the party's programme was adopted and its governing bodies were set up. Yegor Gaidar was elected as party chairman.[2]

In 1995, the party contested the election in a coalition of (minor) like-minded groups, forming the Democratic Choice of Russia – United Democrats.[3]

Later, in 2001, it merged into the Union of Rightist Forces.[1]

Values

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The party had valued ideas of both liberalism and conservatism. This included human rights, self-determination, a market economy, private capital investment, fair competition and the restriction of government regulations in the economy.

Election results

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Presidential election

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Election Candidate First round Second round Result
Votes % Votes %
1996 Endorsed Boris Yeltsin 26,665,495
35.32%
40,402,349
53.82%
Elected  Y
2000 Endorsed Vladimir Putin 39,740,434
52.94%
Elected  Y

State Duma elections

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Election Party leader Performance Rank Government
Votes % ± pp Seats +/–
1993 Yegor Gaidar 8,339,345
15.51%
New
64 / 450
New   2nd Coalition
1995 2,674,084
3.86%
(DVR-OD)
  11.65
9 / 450
  55   4th Opposition (1995–1997)
Coalition (1997–1998)
Opposition (1998–1999)
Coalition (1999)
Opposition (1999)
1999 5,677,247
8.52%
(SPS)
 4.66
29 / 450
  20   4th Coalition

Notes

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  1. ^ Russian: Демократический выбор России (ДВР), romanized: Demokratičeskij vybor Rossii (DVR), IPA: [dʲɪməkrɐˈtʲitɕɪskʲɪj ˈvɨbər rɐˈsʲijɪ (ˌdɛˌvɛˈɛr)]
  2. ^ Russian: Блок «Выбор России» (ВР), romanized: Blok «Vybor Rossii» (VR), IPA: [bɫog ˈvɨbər rɐˈsʲijɪ (ˌvɛˈɛr)]

References

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  1. ^ a b Abbas, Hassan (21 May 2001). "RUSSIA'S DEMOCRATIC CHOICE AND DEMOCRATIC RUSSIA DISBAND". Jamestown Foundation Monitor. 7 (98). Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Russian Reformers Form a New Party". New York Times. Associated Press. 13 June 1994. p. 8. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  3. ^ White, Stephen; Wyman, Matthew; Oates, Sarah (1997). "Parties and Voters in the 1995 Russian Duma Election". Europe-Asia Studies. 49 (7). Taylor & Francis, Ltd.: 767–798. doi:10.1080/09668139708412473. JSTOR 153485. Retrieved 26 December 2021.

See also

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