APPEAL FOR UNINOMINAL ELECTORAL REFORM

We, undersigned personalities of science, culture, politics, business, citizens of Russian Federation address with the present Appeal the Parliament and the President of Russian Federation, political class of our country, all the responsible politicians who are elaborating and taking decisions on cardinal issues of Russia's development.

We consider that it is time to conduct the institutional reform in Russian Federation, aimed to modify the present mode of election the State Duma, where one half of members are TO VOTE PERSONS, NOT PARTY LISTS being elected on proportional basis (voting party lists).

Reach European, Latin American and other experience - as well as our own seven-years-long experience - shows: neither proportional nor mixed electoral system do not cause stability of government, do not prevent confrontation between two branches of power and do not stop the permanent political crisis. Proportional system and political instability caused by it are especially harmful in situation of cardinal economic, political, social reforms - we are daily witnesses of this sad reality in our own country.

We consider as necessary introduction in Russia fully uninominal "anglo-saxon" electoral system of one round: an electoral system successfully working during centuries in the most stabile democracies of the world - USA and England - as well as in many other countries chosen the way of effective "democracy of government" instead of futile illussion of "democratic representation". As result of such a reform in Russia would be created a principally new two or "two-and-a-half" party system. In the framework of such a system a party which obtained majority during elections would be able to realize surely its program approved by voters, and a party which loose elections would constitute constructive opposition and prepare itself for possible victory on the next elections.

Russia needs political stability and effective democracy instead of irresponsible and corrupted partocracy.

We call upon to change immediately the Federal Law "On election of the State Duma members" in order to provide election of all the 450 members in uninominal electoral constituencies.

We urgently appeal to all Russian politicians who consider themselves responsible for the success of democratic reforms in our country asking them to undertake every possible step in order to allow voters already during the political election of 2004 to vote persons, not party lists.