New People () is a political party in Russia formed in 2020. New People is considered a liberal party, and observers also often refer to it as centrist or centre-right.
The party opposes many policies of the incumbent United Russia government, although it has adopted an agnostic to moderately supportive stance towards Vladimir Putin specifically. It's abstention in the vote to recognise the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics is an example. It has therefore been described by critics as a spoiler that attracts young and liberal voters.
New People is led by cosmetic company Faberlic founder Alexey Nechayev since its first part congress, held on August 8, 2020, in Moscow. Alexander Davankov is the head of the party executive committee.
The party won 5.43% of the nationwide vote in the 2021 Russian legislative election, gaining 13 seats.
History
In January 2020, Alexey Nechayev announced the party's creation to the media.
On 1 March 2020, the constituent congress of New People was held. 55 party regional branches were created. Official party registration was received from the Russian Ministry of Justice at the end of March.
In April 2020, the party sent an appeal to the State Duma and the Federation Council and called on them to adopt additional laws eliminating contradictions in respect of the absence of an official emergency regime in the country.
As of 1 July 2020, New People had 55 registered regional branches, which began preparing to take part in the regional elections of September 2020 in 12 regions of the country. Also, the party declared its readiness and intent to take part in the elections to the State Duma in 2021.
On 8 August 2020, the second congress of the party was held in Moscow at which its founder Alexey Nechayev was elected chairman of the party.
At the end of 2020, the party announced that its election campaign for the State Duma of the VIII convocation would be led by the well-known political strategist Yevgeny Minchenko.
On 4 July 2021, a party congress was held at which the party's list and candidates for participation in the 2021 legislative election were nominated. Party leader Alexey Nechaev headed the federal list of the party. The second number in the federal list was the former Mayor of Yakutsk Sardana Avksentyeva.
According to the election results, the party gained 5.3% of the vote, winning 13 seats in the State Duma. New People became the first party not from the "big four" (United Russia, Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and A Just Russia — For Truth) since 2007 to overcome the 5% barrier and form its own faction. In addition to the 13 deputies elected on the party list of the party, the New People faction also included two independent deputies elected in single-mandate constituencies: Dmitry Pevtsov and Oleg Leonov.
On 15 February 2022, New People's Duma faction voted against the recognition of the separatist regions of Ukraine as independent states. In a statement the party warned against jeopardizing peace and human lives in an escalating Ukraine conflict and accused the political leadership of distracting from internal affairs by seeking conflict with other nations. However, the party later withdrew its statement and proclaimed its support for the invasion.
On 16 August 2022, the party called for Instagram to be unblocked.
Ideology
According to electronic media, the party's goal is to "reorient the state" from caring for officials to serving citizens.
The party has a centre-right ideology and considers self-employed people, as well as representatives of small business, its social base. It combines support for the values of popular capitalism such as private property, a competitive economy, a decrease in the state's share in governing the country, with a social agenda, the rights of people with disabilities and an accessible barrier-free environment, as well as environmental issues, animal protection, garbage collection problems.
An important part of the party's position is the renewal and modernization of management systems and political institutions. Support for the development of modern technologies, science and education is declared.
The party attracts social entrepreneurs and activists from the regions as candidates, focusing on the regional agenda.