Russian voters have significantly weakened Vladimir Putin's ruling party by reducing its majority in the parliamentary election. The election results indicate a growing dissatisfaction with Putin's control over the country as he prepares to become president again. United Russia, Putin's party, struggled to secure even 50 percent of the votes in this election, a notable decrease from the more than 64 percent they received four years ago. Opposition parties claim that even this result was bolstered by fraudulent activities. Despite the likelihood of Putin winning the presidential election in March, the outcome of Sunday's election may undermine his authority. Putin, who has been in power for almost 12 years, has used a combination of strict security policies, political skill, and charisma to govern, but was recently met with boos and jeers after a martial arts event. As of now, United Russia has 49.94 percent of the votes after 70 percent of voting districts have been counted in the election for the State Duma. Exit polls also showed United Russia receiving less than 50 percent of the vote. According to liberal opposition leader Vladimir Ryzhkov, these elections are unique due to a lack of trust in Putin, Medvedev, and the ruling party. Ryzhkov believes that the upcoming presidential election in March will lead to even more political turmoil and dissatisfaction. Putin is known for bringing stability to a country that had suffered from chaos after the Soviet Union's collapse, including ending a separatist rebellion in Chechnya and overseeing economic growth. He has maintained a tough guy persona by doing things like riding a horse shirtless, hunting tigers, and flying fighter jets. However, the public seems to be getting tired of his stunts and his popularity, while still high, has decreased. Many people, fed up with corruption, view United Russia as the party of dishonest individuals and are unhappy with the growing gap between the rich and poor. Some worry that Putin's return to the presidency could lead to economic and political stagnation. Putin and Medvedev, who took over the presidency in 2008 when Putin had to step down after serving two terms, made a brief appearance at a low-key meeting at United Russia headquarters. Medvedev stated that United Russia, which previously had a two thirds majority allowing it to change the constitution without opposition support, was willing to form alliances on certain issues in order to gain support for legislation. Putin, 59, described this as an optimal outcome that accurately reflects the current situation in the country. He believes that this result will ensure the stable development of Russia. However, the future may be more challenging for the man who has been the dominant figure in Russian politics since he took over as acting president in 1999 and was elected as head of state shortly after. There are indications that voters feel deceived by his decision to switch roles with Medvedev next year and are disheartened by the prospect of another decade or more under one leader. "It marks the start of the decline," stated political analysts Andrei Piontkovsky. He noted that the recent election results indicate a decrease in the party's and the country's leaders' prestige. The Communist Party experienced significant gains, with their vote nearly doubling to approximately 20 percent. Sergei Obukhov, a communist parliamentarian, remarked that Russia now faces a new political landscape, regardless of any attempts to distort the outcome. A large portion of the votes were a form of protest against United Russia rather than an endorsement of communist principles, as some Russians view the Party as the only legitimate opposition. Yulia Serpikova, a 27-year-old freelance location manager in the film industry, sadly recalled her promise to her grandfather never to vote for the Communists, yet found herself having to do so in order to vote against them. Opposition parties raised concerns about election irregularities across a vast expanse of the country, while a Western-funded electoral monitoring group and two liberal media outlets reported being targeted by hackers attempting to silence allegations of violations. Despite President Medvedev denying claims of electoral fraud, websites belonging to Ekho Moskvy radio station, Slon.ru, and the Golos watchdog were taken offline. In response to the alleged fraud, protests were held in St Petersburg and Moscow, resulting in numerous arrests. Opposition parties are claiming that the election was biased from the beginning due to the support given to United Russia by authorities in the form of money and television coverage. Independent political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin stated that a separate analysis revealed United Russia's decreased popularity in cities, where they received 30-35 percent of the votes compared to the Communist Party's 20-25 percent. Oreshkin believes this poses a challenge for Putin, as United Russia's actions have turned people against their leader, creating an unfavorable environment for his upcoming presidential campaign. Putin still does not have any strong competitors as the leader of Russia. He continues to be the final decision-maker between the different groups that oversee the largest energy producer in the world. This situation also negatively affects Medvedev, who led United Russia during the election. There may now be doubts about his legitimacy as the future prime minister. ($1 = 30.8947 Russian roubles).