Sergei Mironov, who lost his position as speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament, said on Thursday he will take a seat in the lower house until parliamentary elections in December.
The St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly voted on Wednesday to recall Mironov from the Federation Council. Each of Russia’s federal subjects has two representatives in the Federation Council, one elected by the regional legislature and another by the head of the region.
Mironov, the power behind the throne in A Just Russia, a pro-Kremlin party, said eight State Duma deputies were willing to give up their seats for him.
However, Nikolai Levichev, head of A Just Russia’s Duma faction, said it was not clear yet which of the Duma deputies were willing to give up their seats to Mironov.
“The procedure has been launched. It will take some time,” Levichev said.
Mironov’s ouster follows his denunciation of St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko and the ruling United Russia party, which dominates the national and regional legislatures.
He said he would step up his criticism of the political establishment now that he was no longer constrained by his status as upper house speaker.
Mironov said he would head A Just Russia’s list in the December 4 parliamentary poll.
A Just Russia could also field its own candidate to run in next year’s presidential election, he said, adding that his party would never back a United Russia candidate.
Some analysts see the Mironov case as a move by the Kremlin to cast him as an opposition figure who might subsequently head a “controlled opposition” to lend greater legitimacy to next year’s presidential elections.
MOSCOW, May 19 (RIA Novosti)