Liberal Democratic Party of Russia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Либерально-демократическая партия России
Abbreviation	LDPR (English) ЛДПР (Russian)
Leader	Leonid Slutsky
First Deputy Head of the Central Office	Alexei Didenko
Parliamentary Leader	Leonid Slutsky
Founder	Vladimir Zhirinovsky
Founded	18 April 1992; 33 years ago (1992-04-18)
Preceded by	Liberal Democratic Party of the Soviet Union (LDPSU)
Headquarters	1st Basmanny Lane, 3 building 1, Moscow
Newspaper	For the Russian People
Youth wing	Youth Organization of LDPR
Membership (2019)	295,018
Ideology	Russian ultranationalism Right-wing populism Social conservatism Economic interventionism Post-neoliberalism Pan-Slavism
Political position	Right-wing to far-right
International affiliation	World Congress of Patriotic Parties (2003)
Affiliated parties	Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus Liberal Democratic Party of Transnistria
Colours	Gold and blue (official)      Light blue (customary)
Slogan	Freedom, Patriotism, Law (Russian: «Свобода, патриотизм, закон»)
Seats in the Federation Council	3 / 178
Seats in the State Duma	21 / 450
Governors	1 / 85
Seats in the Regional Parliaments	236 / 3,928
Ministers	1 / 31
Party flag
Political parties

The LDPR — Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (ЛДПР — Либерально-демократическая партия России) is a political party in Russia. It is known for its strong nationalist and populist views. The party was formed in 1992, taking over from an earlier party called the Liberal Democratic Party of the Soviet Union (LDPSU).

For a long time, the LDPR was led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, from its start until he passed away in April 2022. The party became quite popular in the 1993 elections, winning almost 23% of the votes. In the 2021 elections, the party received about 7.55% of the votes, getting 21 seats in the State Duma, which is like Russia's parliament.

Even though the party's name includes "Liberal Democratic," some people say it isn't truly liberal or democratic. The LDPR was very much focused on Zhirinovsky and his ideas. It is often described as a party that supports a strong government and traditional Russian values. Members of the party are sometimes called "zhirinovets," meaning "Zhirinovsky's followers."

Understanding the LDPR Party

What is the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia?

The LDPR is a political group in Russia. It is known for its strong focus on Russian national interests. The party aims to bring back Russia's power and influence in the world.

It has ideas that are different from both communism and the capitalism that became popular in the 1990s. The party believes in a mixed economy. This means it supports private businesses but also thinks the government should play a big role in managing the economy.

Key Ideas and Beliefs

The LDPR wants Russia to be a strong global power. They believe Russia should have its "natural borders," which they see as including areas like Belarus and Ukraine.

The party views the United States and NATO as major threats to Russia. They also want to protect ethnic Russians living in other countries. The LDPR is against corruption and the expansion of the European Union. Instead, they support Pan-Slavism, which is the idea of unity among Slavic peoples.

History of the LDPR

Former version of the LDPR logo

How the Party Started

Liberal Democratic Party of the Soviet Union

In the late 1980s, the Soviet Union started to allow more political parties. This was part of Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms. In April 1991, the Liberal Democratic Party of the Soviet Union (LDPSU) became one of the first officially registered parties.

Some former government officials have suggested that the idea for this party came from within the Soviet government. They say it was meant to guide certain public interests. The party's leader, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, became well-known for his strong opinions. He gained 8% of the votes in the 1991 presidential elections.

Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Forms

In 1992, the LDPSU split into different regional groups. The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) was then created as its main successor in Russia.

Early Successes (1993–1999)

In the 1993 Duma elections, the LDPR surprised many by winning 22.9% of the votes. This made them the party with the most votes. People believe Zhirinovsky's popularity grew because many Russians were unhappy with the government's reforms. They wanted a new solution that was not communist.

Zhirinovsky was good at understanding the problems of ordinary Russians. He offered simple solutions to complex issues. For example, he spoke about fighting organized crime. His strong views often caused debate.

By the 1995 elections, the LDPR's support had decreased to 11.2%. In the 1996 presidential election, Zhirinovsky ran again but received 5.7% of the votes. In 1999, the party ran as the "Bloc of Zhirinovsky" and got 6.0% of the votes. Zhirinovsky became a Deputy Chair in the State Duma.

The 2000s and Beyond

In the 2000 presidential election, Vladimir Zhirinovsky ran again, getting 2.7% of the votes. In the 2003 parliamentary elections, the party won 11.5% of the votes and 36 seats.

For the 2004 presidential election, the LDPR nominated Oleg Malyshkin. He received 2% of the votes. In the 2007 legislative elections, the party got 8.14% of the votes and 40 seats. Zhirinovsky ran for president again in 2008 and received 9.4% of the votes.

From 2010 to Today

Rally of the LDPR in 2012

In the 2011 parliamentary elections, the LDPR gained 11.7% of the votes and 56 seats. Zhirinovsky returned to lead the LDPR group in the State Duma. In the 2012 presidential elections, Zhirinovsky ran again and received 6.2% of the votes.

In the 2016 parliamentary elections, the party improved its results. The LDPR became the third-largest party in the State Duma. They won 39 seats with 13.1% of the votes.

In 2020, Sergei Furgal, a popular LDPR governor, was arrested. This led to large protests in his region. President Vladimir Putin removed Furgal from his position. Another LDPR member, Mikhail Degtyarev, was appointed as the new acting governor. Some local lawmakers left the LDPR because they were upset about how the party handled the situation.

The Passing of Vladimir Zhirinovsky

Party members and State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin at the funeral service of Zhirinovsky

In February 2022, Vladimir Zhirinovsky became very ill and was hospitalized. On April 6, 2022, the Speaker of the Duma announced that Zhirinovsky had passed away at the age of 75.

After his death, Leonid Slutsky was chosen as the new leader of the LDPR party.

Party Structure and Members

Founder and first party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky

The LDPR's organization was largely built around its former leader, Vladimir Zhirinovsky. The party also works with other parties in former Soviet countries, such as Belarus and Armenia.

In 2003, the party stated it had 600,000 members. A survey in 2008 showed that about 4% of the Russian population supported the party.

Election Results

Presidential Elections

State Duma Elections

Election	Leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Rank	Government
1993	Vladimir Zhirinovsky	12,318,562	22.92	64 / 450		1st	Opposition
1995		7,737,431	11.18	51 / 450	13	3rd	Opposition
1999		3,990,038	5.98	17 / 450	34	5th	Opposition
2003		6,944,322	11.45	36 / 450	19	3rd	Opposition
2007		5,660,823	8.14	40 / 450	4	3rd	Opposition
2011		7,664,570	11.67	56 / 450	16	4th	Opposition
2016		6,917,063	13.14	39 / 450	17	3rd	Opposition
2021		4,252,096	7.55	21 / 450	18	4th	Opposition

See Also

In Spanish: Partido Liberal-Demócrata de Rusia para niños

• Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus
• Liberal Democratic Party of Transnistria
• List of Liberal Democratic Party of Russia deputies in the State Duma