All-Russia People's Front

All-Russia People's Front
Leader	Vladimir Putin
Founder	Vladimir Putin
Founded	May 6, 2011 (2011-05-06)
Headquarters	Moscow, Russia
Ideology	Conservatism Statism
Political position	Centre-right
Colors	White, Blue, Red
Website
onf.ru
Politics of Russia Political parties Elections

The All-Russia People's Front (Russian: Общероссийский народный фронт), known by its Russian initialism ONF, is a movement in Russia started in 2011 by then-Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin to provide United Russia with "new ideas, new suggestions and new faces". This Front is intended to be a coalition between the ruling party and numerous nongovernmental organizations. On 12 June 2013, Putin was elected its leader.

History

Poster of the front in a Marshrutka

At the meeting of United Russia on May 6, 2011, Putin called for the creation of a "broad popular front [of] like-minded political forces" to participate in the Duma election. He included United Russia and other political parties, business associations, trade unions and youth', women's and veterans' organizations. He claimed that United Russia's party list would include non-party candidates nominated by these organizations.

A website was set up involving headquarters, regional branches and leadership. The Front urged individuals and groups that care about the "fate" and "victory" of Russia, and want "access to participation in power," to fill out an application on the website. Putin's aides have stated that he is the "informal head" of the popular front, but deputy prime minister and chief of government staff Vyacheslav Volodin was named the head of the popular front headquarters.

In April 2011, at a meeting with the Coordinating Council of the People's Front, Putin said the activities of the front would continue after the election season. At the same meeting, Putin also said that Russia should ensure that the parliament remained a leading political force. By May 2011, hundreds of businesses had enlisted their workforces in the organization, including around 40,000 from the Siberian Business Union.

On June 12, 2013, the movement convened its inaugural congress, electing Putin as its leader. The congress also elected the front’s Central Staff: film director Stanislav Govorukhin, Delovaya Rossiya, co-chairman Alexander Galushka and State Duma member Olga Timofeyeva.

According to the Charter, the Front’s goal is, "promotion of unity and civil solidarity in the name of Russia’s historical success"; the country’s development as a free, strong and sovereign state with a robust economy; fast economic growth; and reliance on the family. On the list of the ONF founders were 480 people, including trade union activists, workers, scientists, culture workers, athletes, businessmen, farm and medical workers and politicians.

On December 4, 2013, the conference of the Front was held. The conference, which ran until December 6, discussed the process of implementing reforms in healthcare, economy, community services, education and culture. The meeting held numerous round tables on the president’s so-called "May decrees" and tackled internal agenda items.

In January 2014, the Front registered its first regional office in the city of Lipetsk, located about 440 kilometers south of Moscow, with Russia’s Justice Ministry.

Member organizations

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• Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia
• Patriots of Russia
• Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine
• United Russia
• Young Guard of United Russia

Analysis

According to journalist Steve Rosenberg, in an article for the BBC, the ONF may replace United Russia, which was the probable reason for its establishment.

External links

• Declaration of the Formation of the All-Russia People's Front (English)