'Soup and Substance' compares the Russian and United States governments


open-world-exchange-5

Delegate Juliia Vlokh speaks during Soup and Substance: Open World Exchange Oct. 4 in the Bovee University Center terrace rooms. 

The Open World program is funded by the United States Congress and the Library of Congress.

A panel of Russian delegates joined Central Michigan University faculty and students on Thursday, Oct. 5 in the Bovee University Center Terrace Rooms A through C. 

The event was hosted by the Office of Diversity Education and the Department of Political Science and Public Administration.

The forum was facilitated by Yuliya Eduardoyna Lopatkina.

The panel included:

• Artem Mikhaylovich Flyagin, volunteer for the Yabloko Russia United Democratic Party Artem.

• Valeryevich Maksimov, lawyer, Chelyabinsk Regional Public Social and Human Rights Organization “Justice” and Member of the District Election Commission Kirill.

• Yuliya Vlokh, Head of the Gender Fraction of the Astrakhan Regional Branch of Yabloko Party.

• Olga Viktornovna Yengovatova, volunteer observer of the Electoral District Commission during the elections.

• Maiia Vladimirovna Zavyalova, Head of the Office for Coordination of Activities of Primary Party Organizations.

Olga Shostachuk accompanied the panelists as an interpreter.

Vlokh started off a discussion on the differences in the politic election processes in Russia and the United States.

“Your campaigning can start eight months before the election,” said Zavyalova, with translation from Shostachuk. “By law in Russia, it is allowed to start campaigning three months before the election.”

Vlokh said the lack of excess campaign time in Russia assists in the lack of slander the candidates receive.

As the conversation about the election process ended, the discussion turned to the procedures for voting registration.

Flyagin said that in Russia the legal voting age is also 18, but instead of having to register they are automatically registered.

“It depends on the region, but the voter turnout is about 55 to 60 percent,” said Zavyalova, with translation from Shostachuk. “For federal elections the voting percentage is higher.”

Yengovatova said the difference in the turnout deals with how fairness and amount of freedom in the election.

“The turnout for the last presidential election was high and more fair than the one before,” said Maskimov, with translation from Shostachuk. 

“By our institution and by our laws we are a democracy,” Flyagin said.

The political system in Russia is much like the United States local, state and federal government and the three branches of authority.

“I got the sense Russians view our system as very robust and established and secure, whereas now a lot of Americans don’t have faith in their government,” said Midland senior Samuel Bork. “We tend to think we are so young compared to European countries, but they said our democracy is much older than theirs and they aspire to be a better functioning democracy looking to America for inspiration.”

Zavyalova said she plans to use the experience she gets in the United States and implement it in Russia.

The group has been going around the United States learning more about the government and building connections Lopatkina said.

“It’s having these kinds of conversations between nations is really important because when we don’t meet one another in some manner, it’s harder to be demeaning and working on things against when you have friendship,” said Mount Pleasant alumni Mary Irvine. 

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