Sitting Governors Skip Pre-Election Debates
Incumbent governors have declined to participate in debates ahead of the elections, — «Vedomosti» For the first time in several years, none of the incumbent governors participating in the direct elections on September 20 appeared at the pre-election debates, according to «Vedomosti».
Consensus
- No sitting governors participated in pre-election debates ahead of the September 20 regional elections.
- This is the first time in several years that no sitting governors appeared in the debates.
- The regional elections are held either by direct public vote or by regional legislative assemblies.
- Opposition candidates from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and 'A Just Russia' continued to participate in the debates.
- The absence of sitting governors is attributed to lack of strong competition and reinforces the 'referendum-like' nature of the elections.
Points of divergence
- In 2025, acting heads of the Republic of Komi and Kursk Oblast, and the governor of Kamchatka Krai participated in debates. — tg_astrapress
- At least two regions — Chuvashia and Ryazan Oblast — had no candidates attend debates ahead of the State Duma elections. — tg_echoonline_news
- The Communist Party candidates participated in debates in all direct election regions except Ulyanovsk Oblast. — tg_astrapress
- The governor of Ulyanovsk Oblast, Alexey Ruschenko, a member of the CPRF, did not participate in the debates. — tg_echoonline_news
- In Belgorod Oblast, none of the gubernatorial candidates, including acting governor Alexander Shuvaev from United Russia, attended the televised debates on September 10. — tg_astrapress
Coverage (2 sources)
- Incumbent governors refused to participate in debates before elections, — «Vedomosti» — ASTRA
- None of the region heads participating in the elections appeared for debates — "Vedomosti" — ЭХО / Новости