All Russia elections

1993 Russian Legislative Election

The Zhirinovsky shock

12 December 1993 · The contested Duma · 450 seats, 226 for a majority

Parliamentary elections were held in Russia on 12 December 1993 to elect all 450 seats of the 1st State Duma of the Russian Federation. Additionally, the elections were the first and only instance of direct elections to the Federation Council, with future members appointed by provincial legislatures and governors.

Held in wartime. This election took place while the country was engaged in War in Abkhazia (1992–1993). Conflicts →

Held weeks after tanks shelled the old parliament, with several opposition parties and newspapers banned — yet genuinely competitive among those allowed to run, and won on the party lists by Zhirinovsky's LDPR.

Prime Minister before

Prime Minister (continued)

Largest force

Independents

171 of 450 seats

Turnout

54.3%

The result

Share of the State Duma
Independents171
LDPRVladimir Zhirinovsky64
12,318,56221.4%
Choice of RussiaYegor Gaidar62
8,339,34514.4%
CPRFGennady Zyuganov42
6,666,40211.6%
APRMikhail Lapshin38
4,292,5187.4%
YaBLGrigory Yavlinsky27
4,223,2197.3%
Women of RussiaAlevtina Fedulova24
4,369,9187.6%
PRESSergey Shakhray22
3,620,0356.3%
DPRNikolay Travkin15
2,969,5335.2%
Civic UnionArkady Volsky7
1,038,1931.8%