France has criticized Russia’s 2026 parliamentary elections, saying the conditions did not meet the standards required for free, pluralistic, and democratic elections.
In a statement published on September 21, 2026, France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said that repression of civil society and political opposition, restrictions on freedom of expression, the exclusion of political parties, and the absence of impartial international election observers undermined the electoral process.
Russia Holds Parliamentary Elections
Russia’s parliamentary elections were held from September 18 to 20, 2026.
The election chose members of the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament.
According to Russia’s Central Election Commission, the ruling United Russia party won 57.83% of the party-list vote after more than 95% of ballots had been counted. The commission reported that the party was set to hold 355 of the 450 seats in the State Duma.
The result gives United Russia a constitutional majority in the 450-seat chamber.
France Questions the Conditions of the Election
The French government said that the election did not take place under conditions that allowed voters to make a free and informed choice.
In its September 21 statement, France pointed to several factors, including:
- Increased repression of civil society and opposition groups
- The exclusion of several political parties
- Restrictions on freedom of expression
- The prohibition of independent media outlets
- The absence of impartial international election observation
France said these conditions affected the ability of Russian voters to freely form and express their political choices.
No OSCE Election Observation Mission
France also highlighted the absence of an election observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
According to France’s Foreign Ministry, Russia again chose not to invite the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission, despite its international commitments. France said this meant the election took place without impartial international observation.
International election observation is intended to provide an independent assessment of electoral procedures and conditions.
Voting in Ukrainian Territories
Another major issue raised by France concerns voting organized by Russia in Ukrainian territories that Russia occupies.
France specifically mentioned voting in:
- Crimea
- Sevastopol
- Parts of Donetsk
- Parts of Luhansk
- Parts of Zaporizhzhia
- Parts of Kherson
France said it does not recognize the holding or results of those elections and described their organization as a violation of international law and the UN Charter.
The European Union issued a similar position on September 21, saying it would not recognize the Russian State Duma elections held in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories or their results.
France Reaffirms Support for Ukraine’s Territorial Integrity
In its statement, France reaffirmed its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity.
The French government linked its position on the Russian elections to the wider war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
France’s position is consistent with its broader diplomatic policy toward the war and Russia’s control of Ukrainian territory.
Russia’s Election Results
The Russian Central Election Commission reported a strong result for United Russia.
With more than 95% of votes counted, the party had received approximately 57.83% of the party-list vote. According to the commission, this would give United Russia 355 seats in the State Duma.
Russia’s electoral system combines party-list seats with single-member constituency seats, making the final distribution of seats dependent on both parts of the election.
Other Parties in the State Duma
Several other parties also secured representation in the State Duma.
Reuters reported that the Communist Party, Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), New People, and A Just Russia – Patriots – For Truth were among the parties returning to parliament.
The party results were reported by Russia’s Central Election Commission as vote counting continued.
Yabloko and the Opposition
The election also attracted attention because of the exclusion of candidates associated with Yabloko from the federal party list.
The European Union said the exclusion further reduced the range of political choices available to Russian voters and described Yabloko as one of the remaining opposition forces with an anti-war platform.
France separately cited the exclusion of political parties as one of the factors it said had affected the conditions of the election.
Russian Government Position
Russian officials presented the election as a legitimate national vote and reported that the voting process was completed despite security incidents during the election period.
Russia’s Central Election Commission published the official results as counting progressed, while Russian authorities reported that electoral procedures had been completed across the country.
The French government’s assessment differs from the position of Russian authorities on the conditions under which the election was held.
International Reaction
France was not the only government or institution to criticize aspects of the election.
The European Union said the election took place in an increasingly restrictive political environment and also rejected the organization of voting in occupied Ukrainian territories.
Canada likewise said it rejected the Russian elections held in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories and raised concerns about political opposition, independent media, and the absence of OSCE election monitors.
The reactions show a broader disagreement between Russia and several Western governments over the conduct and international recognition of parts of the election.
Why the Election Matters
The election determines the composition of Russia’s State Duma for the new parliamentary term.
Because United Russia secured a large majority of seats according to preliminary official results, the composition of the new parliament will continue to give the party a dominant position in the chamber.
The election is also significant internationally because it took place during the ongoing war in Ukraine and included voting organized by Russia in Ukrainian territories that France and other governments do not recognize as Russian territory.
France and Russia Relations
The French criticism comes amid broader tensions in relations between France and Russia.
France has continued to support Ukraine and has regularly raised concerns about Russia’s actions in Ukraine and the wider security situation in Europe.
At the same time, diplomatic communication between European governments and Russia remains connected to discussions about the war and regional security.
What Happens Next?
The final implementation of the election results will determine the composition of the new State Duma and the distribution of parliamentary seats.
For France and the European Union, attention will also remain focused on developments in Ukraine, Russia’s domestic political environment, and the wider security situation in Europe.
The French Foreign Ministry’s statement makes clear that France does not recognize the Russian-organized voting in the occupied Ukrainian territories.
Conclusion
France has criticized Russia’s September 18–20, 2026 parliamentary elections, saying that conditions for free, pluralistic, and democratic elections were not met.
France cited restrictions on political opposition and independent media, limits on freedom of expression, the exclusion of political parties, and the absence of an impartial OSCE/ODIHR observation mission.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Central Election Commission reported that United Russia won 57.83% of the party-list vote and was set to hold 355 of the 450 State Duma seats after more than 95% of votes had been counted.
France also rejected the Russian-organized voting in occupied Ukrainian territories and reaffirmed its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.