Russian electoral officials have barred a vocal opposition alliance from participating in December parliamentary elections, a spokeswoman for the group said Wednesday.
As expected, the Central Election Commission declined to register a candidate list submitted by Other Russia which is co-led by former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, spokeswoman Lyudmila Mamina said.
The group - which unites liberals, leftists and nationalists opposed to President Vladimir Putin`s policies - had submitted papers last week in what Kasparov acknowledged was a quixotic effort meant mainly to draw attention to the tight Kremlin control over Russian politics.
In a letter to the group, election commission chief Vladimir Churov Other Russia was barred because it was not registered as a political party, Mamina said. Only registered parties can take part in the Dec. 2 vote.
Only a few parties - most of them pro-Putin - are expected to win seats in the State Duma, Russia`s lower house of parliament. Putin has initiated a series of laws in recent years that critics say have further narrowed the political field, favoring Kremlin-backed forces.
Kasparov is the driving force behind the coalition, and on Wednesday it presented him as its candidate for the March presidential election.
Putin is barred from seeking a third straight term and has indicated he will name a favored successor, who would be virtually certain to win because of the president`s popularity and the Kremlin`s control over the media and other political levers.
Earlier this month, Putin said he would lead the ticket of the main pro-Kremlin party in the parliamentary elections and could later take the prime minister`s job - a hint that he could remain at the helm and eclipse a weaker president.