Putin triumphs

Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday hailed as a step toward democracy the poll that stacked parliament with his allies but Western observers called it "overwhelmingly distorted" and Washington expressed concern.

The fourth such election since the Soviet Union's collapse crushed Mr Putin's Communist and liberal opponents - prompting warnings of a return to authoritarian rule - and effectively guaranteed him a second term in March's presidential poll.

It could also give him enough votes to change the constitution so he can run for a third term.

Mr Putin's supporters say the pro-Kremlin majority will hand the ex-KGB spy more powers to push economic reform and fight corruption. Critics fear the death of democracy after a strong nationalist showing all but wiped out liberal parties. "The election is another step in strengthening democracy in the Russian Federation," Mr Putin told senior officials.

But the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a rights and democracy watchdog, said the vote was skewed by the use of state resources to promote pro-Putin United Russia.

"In this election the enormous advantage of incumbency and access to state equipment, resources and buildings led to the election result being overwhelmingly distorted," said Bruce George, president of the OSCE's parliamentary assembly.

"It is even more regrettable that the main impression of the overall electoral process is that it was one of regression in the democratisation process of this country," he added.

In Washington, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: "We share those concerns."

The leader of the Communist Party, facing a second death after its rebirth in the chaos of the 1990s, called the election a farce and accused the Kremlin of rigging the vote.

"You are all participants in a revolting spectacle which for some reason is called an election," Gennady Zyuganov said.