Slutsky frustrated as Kremlin pulls back support, rebrands LDPR as party of 'security officials'

Leonid Slutsky, head of Russia's Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), has recently started describing his party — both in private conversations and in public campaign materials — as a 'party of security officials' rather than one tied to the Kremlin's civilian apparatus. LDPR's social media posts highlight that 111 people on its State Duma candidate list are veterans, volunteers, or security officials who took part in the 'special military operation.'

Two LDPR members and a strategist working with the Presidential Administration's political bloc told Meduza about the shift. According to them, Slutsky is frustrated with the political bloc led by Sergei Kiriyenko because of the party's falling ratings and fears that LDPR could miss out on second — or even third — place in the upcoming Duma elections.

A new point of contact

Sources say Slutsky now coordinates his campaign with Andrey Yarin, head of the Domestic Policy Directorate, rather than with Alexander Kharichev, head of the Social Monitoring Directorate. Yarin has long been seen as closer to the security services than to Kiriyenko's team.

In recent years the political bloc worked to secure LDPR a second-place finish in regional elections, succeeding last year in seven of 11 regions. But in the 2024 presidential race, Slutsky finished only fourth, trailing Vladimir Putin as well as Communist Party candidate Nikolai Kharitonov and New People's Vladislav Davankov.

Sources say the political bloc's complaint is that Slutsky lacks the charisma of a public politician yet insists on remaining the party's frontman, taking part in debates and campaign videos himself.

According to Meduza's sources, LDPR could finish as low as fourth in the September Duma elections, with the Communist Party likely taking second place. The sources say the Kremlin no longer intends to actively help boost LDPR's standing.