Green Alternative (Russia)

Green Alternative
Зелёная альтернатива
AbbreviationGA (English)
ЗА (Russian)
ChairmanRuslan Khvostov
Deputy chairmanStepan Soloviev
Informal leaderVasya Lozhkin
Founded10 March 2020 (2020-03-10)
Registered7 April 2020
Headquarters17, Dukhovskoy Lane, Moscow
IdeologyGreen politics
Political positionCentre-left
Colours  Green
Seats in the Federation Council
0 / 170
Seats in the State Duma
0 / 450
Seats in the Regional Parliaments
2 / 3,983
Website
zaecology.ru

Green Alternative (GA; Russian: Зелёная альтернатива; ЗА, romanizedZelyonaya al'ternativa, ZA) is a green political party in Russia. It was founded in December 2019 as a social movement by its chairman Ruslan Khvostov. It held its founding party congress in March 2020 and was officially registered as a political party with the Ministry of Justice the following month. The party has yet to win a seat in the national State Duma, but it won two seats in the 2020 regional elections: one in the Komi Republic and another in the Chelyabinsk Oblast.

History

Green Alternative was created as a social movement in December 2019 by environmental activist and former Mestnye member Ruslan Khvostov.[1] Documents for its registration as a political party were submitted to the Ministry of Justice in February 2020.[2] The founding party congress of Green Alternative was subsequently held on 10 March 2020, and Khvostov was elected party leader with almost 80% of the vote. The artist Vasya Lozhkin was also elected as the "informal leader" of the party.[3] On 7 April 2020, the party was officially registered by the Ministry of Justice and in May it received the right to participate in elections.[4][5][6]

The party contest the 2020 regional elections, receiving 10% of the vote in the Komi Republic and 5.4% in the Chelyabinsk Oblast, and winning a seat in both federal subjects' parliaments.[7][8] Because the party won seats in regional parliaments, it gained the right to participate in federal parliamentary elections without collecting signatures.[9]

In the 2021 legislative elections, Green Alternative came twelfth, winning 0.64% of the popular vote and no seats.[10]

Ideology

Green Alternative does not associate itself exclusively with the environmental movement, calling itself a "moderate left-wing environmental party of the European type".[1]

Leadership

Ruslan Khvostov is the chairman of the party, while Stepan Soloviev is deputy chairman. Vasya Lozhkin is the "informal leader" of the party.[11]

Election results

State Duma election results of Green Alternative
Election Party leader Performance Rank Government
Votes % ± pp Seats +/–
2021 Ruslan Khvostov 357,855
0.64%
New
0 / 450
New 12th Extra-parliamentary

References

  1. ^ a b "Новая 'зеленая' партия решила выдвинуть в Думу художника Васю Ложкина" [The new 'green' party has decided to nominate artist Vasya Lozhkin to the Duma]. Interfax (in Russian). 4 February 2020. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  2. ^ "В России анонсировали появление новой экологической партии. На довыборы в Госдуму от нее может пойти художник Вася Ложкин" [A new environmental party has been announced in Russia. Artist Vasya Lozhkin may run for the State Duma by-election]. Novaya Gazeta (in Russian). 4 February 2020. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Василий Ложкин выбран неформальным лидером партии 'Зеленая Альтернатива'" [Vasily Lozhkin elected as informal leader of the 'Green Alternative' party]. Moskovskij Komsomolets (in Russian). 11 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Политическая партия 'Зелёная альтернатива'" [Political party 'Green Alternative'] (in Russian). Ministry of Justice. 7 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Минюст зарегистрировал партии 'За правду', 'Новые люди' и 'Зеленая альтернатива'" [The Ministry of Justice has registered the parties 'For Truth', 'New People' and 'Green Alternative'] (in Russian). TASS. 7 April 2020. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Минюст разрешил партии 'Зеленая альтернатива' участвовать в выборах" [The Ministry of Justice has allowed the 'Green Alternative' party to participate in the elections] (in Russian). TASS. 21 May 2020.
  7. ^ "'Единая Россия' победила на выборах депутатов госсовета Коми" ['United Russia' Wins Komi State Council Elections]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). 14 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Избирком Челябинской области опубликовал итоговую явку на выборах" [The Chelyabinsk Region Electoral Commission has published the final turnout in the elections]. Kommersant (in Russian). 15 September 2020.
  9. ^ "В выборах в Госдуму в 2021 году 16 партий смогут участвовать без сбора подписей" [16 parties will be able to participate in the 2021 State Duma elections without collecting signatures] (in Russian). TASS. 14 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Выборы депутатов Государственной Думы Федерального Собрания Российской Федерации восьмого созыва" [Elections of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the eighth convocation] (in Russian). 19 September 2021. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Правление партии" [Party board] (in Russian). Green Alternative. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2025.