People's Freedom Party "For Russia without Lawlessness and Corruption"
People's Freedom Party "For Russia without Lawlessness and Corruption" (PARNAS; Russian: Партия народной свободы «За Россию без произвола и коррупции»; ПАРНАС; Partiya narodnoy svobody «Za Rossiyu bez proizvola i korruptsiyi», PARNAS) was a liberal-democratic political party in Russia founded on 13 December 2010 by opposition politicians Vladimir Ryzhkov, Boris Nemtsov, Mikhail Kasyanov and Vladimir Milov and de facto dissolved on 16 June 2012 (merged into RPR-PARNAS party). The name is a reference to the original liberal-democratic Party of Popular Freedom.
People's Freedom Party "For Russia without Lawlessness and Corruption" Партия народной свободы «За Россию без произвола и коррупции» | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | PARNAS (English) ПАРНАС (Russian) |
| Quadrumvirate Chairmen | Mikhail Kasyanov Vladimir Milov Boris Nemtsov Vladimir Ryzhkov |
| Founded | September 16, 2010 (coalition) December 13, 2010 (party) |
| Dissolved | June 16, 2012 |
| Merger of | Russian People's Democratic Union Solidarnost Democratic Choice Republican Party of Russia |
| Preceded by | The Other Russia |
| Succeeded by | Republican Party of Russia – People's Freedom Party |
| Headquarters | Moscow |
| Membership (2011) | 50,000 |
| Ideology | Liberalism Anti-corruption |
| Political position | Big tent |
| European affiliation | ALDE Party |
| Colours | White Blue Red |
| Website | |
| parnasparty | |
The party is strongly critical of Putin's regime. Its stated goal is to return Russia to the path of democracy and restore respect for the Constitution. It is also an associate member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party. The party has been formed on the basis of a coalition including four organisations:
- Democratic Choice (led by Vladimir Milov)
- Republican Party of Russia (led by Vladimir Ryzhkov)
- Russian People's Democratic Union (led by Mikhail Kasyanov)
- Solidarity (represented by Boris Nemtsov)
A number of Solidarity members have decided not to join the People's Freedom Party, including Garry Kasparov and his United Civil Front, saying that they do not want to participate in unfree elections and waste resources attempting to register an opposition party, which, in their opinion, is impossible. They are also on bad terms with some key members of the Democratic Choice.
In 2011, the European Court of Human Rights that ruled the refusal to register the Republican Party of Russia was unlawful. Since 5 May 2012, the Justice Ministry has restored the state registration of the Republican Party of Russia. On 16 June 2012 on 15th congress of the Republican Party of Russia, PARNAS members joined to RPR and the united democratic opposition party was renamed to Republican Party of Russia – People's Freedom Party (RPR-PARNAS).