The European Parliament has condemned Russia’s recent State Duma elections as a “complete sham,” adopting a resolution that denounces the vote as illegitimate and held under conditions of intimidation. MEPs said the ballot took place “in a climate of fear” and occurred against the backdrop of what the text calls Moscow’s “continued illegal war against Ukraine.”
What Parliament is doing
The resolution was adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday following work by the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The text explicitly characterises the Duma elections as “fake” and criticises the overall environment in which they were conducted. The press release from Parliament states that MEPs concluded the vote lacked credibility and legitimacy.
Parliament’s move reflects a collective political judgment by elected MEPs. The Committee on Foreign Affairs prepared the matter for Parliament’s plenary decision, and the adopted resolution represents the institution’s official stance on the Russian vote.
Why it matters
By formally declaring the Duma elections a sham, the European Parliament is reaffirming its position on the legality and legitimacy of political processes in Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The resolution ties the conduct of the elections to the wider context of Moscow’s military actions, framing the ballot as taking place while Russia continues what the Parliament describes as an illegal war.
Such parliamentary resolutions do not by themselves impose sanctions or create binding legal measures, but they signal the European Parliament’s view to EU institutions, member states, and international partners. The resolution may be used to inform future EU policy deliberations, diplomatic positions, or responses from other bodies monitoring the conflict and democratic standards in Russia.
What happens next
The press release does not detail immediate procedural follow-ups within Parliament or specify specific policy actions to be taken next. As a political declaration adopted in plenary, the resolution stands as Parliament’s assessment and may influence discussions in other EU institutions or in member-state capitals on how to respond to the elections and to the broader situation concerning Russia and Ukraine.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs prepared the resolution for adoption, but the source does not provide further information on whether the committee or individual MEPs proposed subsequent measures linked directly to the resolution. Any concrete steps by the European Commission, the Council, or other EU bodies would require separate proposals and deliberations beyond this parliamentary declaration.
No additional details on vote counts, the specific language of amendments, or dissenting opinions were included in the Parliament’s press briefing. The adopted text’s description of the elections as “fake” and conducted “in a climate of fear” provides the clearest indication of Parliament’s position as recorded in the resolution.
Source: European Parliament press release
