259 PARTIES AND GROUPS REGISTERED FOR UPCOMING PARLIAMENTARYELECTION.

The chairman of Russia’s Central Electoral CommissionNikolai Ryabov told Interfax July 26 that his body had registered259 different groups for the December elections. But Vek (no.28) reported that these groups will almost certainly coalesceinto only six or seven electoral alliances by the fall. One groupwhich has already consolidated its position is Prime MinisterViktor Chernomyrdin’s "Russia is Our Home" bloc: itnow has branches in 80 of the country’s 89 regions, Itar-Tassreported July 27.

Lebed Urges Orthodox Alliances for Russia.