§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why they congratulated President Putin on winning an election, which according to the report by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe election observers "reflected a lack of democratic culture, accountability and responsibility". [HL1921]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanMy right honourable friend the Prime Minister congratulated President Putin on his victory because it was clear that his re-election reflected the opinion of the huge majority of the Russian people.
We note the preliminary findings of the International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) regarding the election and welcome its view that there was a "genuine wish to enfranchise as many people as possible" and that the election was well administered. The report goes on to note that the legal framework established by the Russian authorities "promoted openness and transparency both in the conduct and organisation of the election". However, we are also concerned by the IEOM's finding that "the State controlled media displayed clear bias in favour of the incumbent" and that the authorities failed to attempt to rectify this situation during the campaign. As part of the EU we have called on Russia to take steps to ensure that future elections meet more fully Council of Europe and OSCE standards, including a free media.