Former Communist yes, he has been in opposition since 2007 (ah let me fact check that date.) I do agree, he is a far right dictator, with ties to the mafia no less. Which is exactly why I've no intentions of moving to Russia as you have ordered me dumb ass.
Perhaps you are the one who should wake the **** up.
Correction, he has been in opposition since 1995. It is United Russia that was merged in 2007.
Full accounting of Putin:
1975-1991 - Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The party was dissolved on 29 August 1991 on Soviet territory soon after a failed coup d'état and was completely abolished on 6 November 1991 on Russian territory.
The CPSU was a communist party organized on the basis of democratic centralism, a principle conceived by Lenin that entails democratic and open discussion of policy issues within the party followed by the requirement of total unity in upholding the agreed policies. The highest body within the CPSU was the party Congress, which convened every five years.
1995-1999 - Our Home - Russia
ur Home – Russia was founded in 1995 by then Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. It was a liberal, centrist political movement, founded for the purpose of rallying more technocratic-reformist (right-wing) government supporters. At the time of its founding, Chernomyrdin had the backing of Russian president Boris Yeltsin along with numerous large financial institutions such as Association of Russian Banks, and major companies such as Gazprom, of which he was formerly the chairman. The movement attracted the sympathies and interests of many prominent members of the ruling elite of Russia, and NDR was thus nicknamed "the party of power". It was also known as the party of the Oligarchs, the position previously identified with another political party, Russia's Choice. Two other parties were interested in cooperating with NDR after its foundation: parts of the Agrarian Party of Russia and Democratic Choice of Russia. Together their platform would promote "freedom, property, and legality", and would favor such policies as reducing the state's role in the economy, support for small businesses, privatization of agriculture, and military cutbacks. However, after Chernomyrdin's candidacy for a second term as Prime Minister was in 1998 rejected by the Duma, Our Home – Russia declined the other parties' bid for cooperation.
1999-2001 - Unity
he rise of Unity was meteoric given the short time period it had to create an identity, plan its campaign strategy and carry out its ambitious objectives. The establishment of the movement followed a declaration signed by 39 governors expressing their dissatisfaction with the political battles being fought in Russia. The initial meeting of these governors to form a new electoral movement was held on 24 September 1999. It was at this meeting that Minister of Emergency Situations Sergey Shoygu was selected as Unity’s leader.
Prime Minister Putin immediately pledged support for the new bloc, saying it could help stabilize the political situation in Russia. On November 24, 1999 he told reporters that in his capacity as premier, he "should not define his political preferences" with respect to election blocs but "as an ordinary citizen" he will vote for Unity. The party’s leading candidates in 1999 State Duma elections were Sergey Shoygu, nine-times world wrestling champion Alexander Karelin and former senior police official Alexander Gurov. Unity, backed up by popular support for the Second Chechen War, relied on a campaign of verbal attacks to discredit the Fatherland-All Russia alliance.[1] It was also heavily promoted by the ORT TV channel and especially "Sergey Dorenko's Program".
The party supported Vladimir Putin in the 2000 presidential elections.
In April 2001 the Unity party and the Fatherland - All Russia movement took the decision to unite into a single political party, United Russia.
1991-1995 & 2001-2008 - Independent
All of Russia's Presidents have been independents. Former president Dmitry Medvedev declined an offer to join United Russia, saying that he believes the President should be an independent so that he serves the interests of the country rather than his political party.
Vladimir Putin, the current president of Russia, is the head of the United Russia party, but is not its member, thus formally is independent.
2008 - Present
United Russia (Russian: Еди́ная Росси́я, tr. Yedinaya Rossiya; IPA: [(j)ɪˈdʲinəjə rɐˈsʲijə]) is as of 2016 the ruling political party of the Russian Federation. United Russia is the largest party in Russia; as of 2016 it holds 343 (or 76.22%) of the 450 seats in the State Duma.
The United Russia Party formed in December 2001 through a merger of the Unity Party and the Fatherland – All Russia Party. As of 2016 the United Russia Party supports the policies of the presidential administration. The Party's association with President and former Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (a former leader of the Party) has been the key to its success.[citation needed] There is also evidence that the electorate credits the Party for improvements to the economy.[citation needed]
Although the United Russia Party's popularity declined from its peak of 64.4% in the 2007 Duma elections to 49.32% in the 2011 elections, it remained the most popular party in the country, ahead of the second-placed Communist Party at 19.19%. In the 2016 elections it received 54.2%, while the second-place Communist Party received 13.3%.
The Party has no coherent ideology; however, it embraces specific politicians and officials[6] with a variety of political views who support the administration.[7] The Party appeals mainly to non-ideological voters;[8] therefore, United Russia is often classified[by whom?] as a "catch-all party"[citation needed] or as a "party of power".[9][10]
In 2009 the United Russia Party proclaimed "Russian Conservatism" as its official ideology.[11]
According to the party's 2003 political manifesto, The Path of National Success, the party's goal is to unite the responsible political forces of the country, aiming to minimize the differences between rich and poor, young and old, state, business and society. The economy should combine state regulation and market freedoms, with the benefits of further growth distributed for the most part to the less fortunate. The party rejects left-wing and right-wing ideologies in favour of "political centrism" that could unite all sections of society.[14] In addition, the official party platform emphasizes pragmatism and anti-radicalism. The party regards itself to be one of the heirs to Russia's tradition of statehood, both tsarist and communist.[37] United Russia's long-time moniker is "the party of real deeds."[38]
United Russia has always characterised itself as wholly supportive of the agenda of the popular current President Vladimir Putin, and this has proved key to its success. A survey, whose results were presented by Henry E. Hale in 2008 at the Annual Meeting of American Political Science Association, indicates that the Russian population associates the party with a market economic orientation, opposition to communism, a moderately pro-Western foreign policy and a tough stance on rebellious minority regions like Chechnya. Voters who support such values are significantly more likely to vote for United Russia. Survey results also provide clear evidence that Russians tend to credit United Russia (as well as Putin) for improvements in the economy.[12]
2011-present - People's Front
The All-Russia People's Front (Russian: Общероссийский народный фронт), known by its Russian initialism ONF, is a movement in Russia started in 2011 by then-Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin to provide United Russia with "new ideas, new suggestions and new faces". This Front is intended to be a coalition between the ruling party and numerous nongovernmental organizations. On 12 June 2013, Putin was elected its leader.[1]
At the meeting of United Russia on May 6, 2011, Putin called for the creation of a "broad popular front [of] like-minded political forces" to participate in the Duma election. He included United Russia and other political parties, business associations, trade unions and youth', women's and veterans' organizations. He claimed that United Russia's party list would include non-party candidates nominated by these organizations.[citation needed]
A website was set up involving headquarters, regional branches and leadership. The Front urged individuals and groups that care about the "fate" and "victory" of Russia, and want "access to participation in power," to fill out an application on the website. Putin's aides have stated that he is the "informal head" of the popular front, but deputy prime minister and chief of government staff Vyacheslav Volodin was named the head of the popular front headquarters.[citation needed]
In April 2011, at a meeting with the Coordinating Council of the People's Front, Putin said the activities of the front would continue after the election season. At the same meeting, Putin also said that Russia should ensure that the parliament remained a leading political force.[2] By May 2011, hundreds of businesses had enlisted their workforces in the organization, including around 40,000 from the Siberian Business Union.[3]
On June 12, 2013, the movement convened its inaugural congress, electing Putin as its leader.[1] The congress also elected the front’s Central Staff: film director Stanislav Govorukhin, Delovaya Rossiya, co-chairman Alexander Galushka and State Duma member Olga Timofeyeva.[1]
According to the Charter, the Front’s goal is, "promotion of unity and civil solidarity in the name of Russia’s historical success"; the country’s development as a free, strong and sovereign state with a robust economy; fast economic growth; and reliance on the family. On the list of the ONF founders were 480 people, including trade union activists, workers, scientists, culture workers, athletes, businessmen, farm and medical workers and politicians.[4]
On December 4, 2013, the conference of the Front was held. The conference, which ran until December 6, discussed the process of implementing reforms in healthcare, economy, community services, education and culture. The meeting held numerous round tables on the president’s so-called "May decrees" and tackled internal agenda items.[5][6]
In January 2014, the Front registered its first regional office in the city of Lipetsk, located about 440 kilometers south of Moscow, with Russia’s Justice Ministry.[7]
