Democratic Choice of Russia

The Democratic Choice of Russia was a Russian centre-right conservative-liberal political party. From 1993 — 1994 it was called "The Choice of Russia". Later the party was self-disbanded and most members would merge into the Union of Right Forces.

Background and Establishment

At the elections to the State Duma held on December 12, 1993, the Choice of Russia bloc (the predecessor to the Democratic Choice of Russia) received 15.51% of the vote, and consequently, 40 seats in the State Duma.

On January 20, 1994, having lost influence over making economic decisions and opposed to the increase of budget expenditure, the leader of the Choice of Russia, Yegor Gaidar, resigned from the government headed by Viktor Chernomyrdin. At that point the Choice of Russia lost its status as a pro-government faction, yet at the same time it continued to support president Boris Yeltsin and Chernomyrdin's government by providing constructive criticism of their policies.

On 12–13 June 1994, the founding meeting of the party Democratic Choice of Russia was held. At the meeting, the party's programme was adopted and its governing bodies were set up. Yegor Gaidar was elected as party chairman.

In 1995, the party contested the election in a coalition of (minor) like-minded groups, forming the Democratic Choice of Russia - United Democrats.

Later, in 2001, it merged into the Union of Rightist Forces.

Values

The party had valued ideas of both liberalism and conservatism. This included human rights, self-determination, a market economy, private capital investment, fair competition and the restriction of government regulations in the economy.

See also

• Democratic Russia