Following protests, Russia's ruling party loses several seats in Moscow election

Local elections were held on Sunday across Russia, but all eyes were on Moscow, where large protests were held in July after several opposition candidates were excluded from the ballot.

Early Monday, Russian news agency RIA reported that United Russia, the country's ruling party that supports Vladimir Putin, lost roughly one-third of its seats in Moscow's parliament. The party will still likely control 26 of the 45 seats, Reuters reports, retaining its majority. In 2014, United Russia won 28 seats, as well as 10 additional seats won by independents backed by the party.

The protests earlier in the summer broke out after the Central Election Commission claimed that many of the opposition candidates couldn't register because they didn't collect enough valid signatures. United Russia's popularity is dwindling, and the failed candidates and their supporters said this was a way to keep them from winning seats.

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Opposition politician Alexei Navalny encouraged voters to cast their ballots for candidates who had the best shot at defeating United Russia. Russia's next national parliamentary election is in 2021, and Putin will remain in office through 2024.