Yabloko

The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" (RUDP Yabloko; Russian: Российская объединённая демократическая партия «Яблоко», romanized: Rossiyskaya obyedinyonnaya demokraticheskaya partiya "Yabloko", [ˈjabləkə] , lit. 'Apple') is a social-liberal political party in Russia. The organization positions itself as "Russia's only democratic party". A number of political scientists and researchers characterize Yabloko as the only legally registered party in the country that stands in actual opposition to the current government. Party representatives and independent observers state that the organization's members face systemic government pressure and repression. The party consequently participated in the elections of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of all eight convocations. Until 2003, Yabloko was represented by a faction in the State Duma and later until 2007 by individual deputies. In March 2002, the party became a full member of the Liberal International, and since November 1998, it has been in observer status. The founder of the party Grigory Yavlinsky is an honorary vice-president of the Liberal International and winner of its Prize for Freedom. Yabloko was a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) from 2006 to 2025. As of 2021, the party was represented by factions in 4 regional parliaments of the Russian Federation. In addition, members of the party were deputies of 13 administrative centers of the subjects of the Russian Federation, 183 representatives of the party were municipal deputies in Moscow and 84 in Saint Petersburg. Yabloko is the sole officially registered party to openly oppose the Russian war in Ukraine, openly calling "for peace and freedom". The party planned to partake in the 2026 Russian legislative election under their anti-war slogan. However, in August 2026, the party was barred from running by the Supreme Court of Russia due to a lawsuit by Rodina. The...