2003 Russian legislative election


Image:Russian legislative [election 2003.png|thumb|400px|Distribution of the constituency seats by federal subject.]
Legislative elections were held in Russia on 7December 2003. At stake were the 450 seats in the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly.
As expected, the pro-Vladimir Putin United Russia party received the most votes and won the most seats, gaining a plurality in the Duma. The Communist Party of the [Russian Federation|Communist Party] remained the second largest, though much reduced in strength. The Liberal Democratic Party improved its position by 19 seats, while the liberal Yabloko and the liberal-conservative Union of Right Forces lost most of their seats.

Legacy

The 2003 election is cited by scholars as a turning point in Russian politics, as it marked the moment the federal parliament effectively became a rubber stamp body.