PrimaMedia, April 30
Russian lawmaker leaves parliament to join Ukraine war effort
Igor Chemeris, a deputy of the Primorsky Territory Legislative Assembly who deployed to the special military operation in late January, intends to seek re-election to the regional parliament under the United Russia ticket. The lawmaker has registered for the party's primaries and, breaking with tradition, plans to run not in a single-mandate district but on the party list, reports PrimaMedia news agency.
Chemeris announced his submission of documents in his Telegram channel (18+). On April 30, his name appeared on the United Russia preliminary voting website.
A three-term deputy in the Legislative Assembly (elected in 2011, 2016, and 2021), Chemeris twice ran under United Russia in a single-mandate district. In 2016, he stood as an independent, collecting the required signatures. In parliament, he represents the city of Artyom and part of Vladivostok's Sovetsky District (single-mandate district No. 9).
This time, he is vying for a seat on the party list as part of regional group No. 4, which covers three single-mandate districts, including his current one—Nos. 9, 11, and 12.
Chemeris's decision to volunteer for the special military operation became public following a January 20 meeting of the social affairs committee, where he announced an extended leave due to a six-month contract signed from January 21 to July 21.
Having chaired the Legislative Assembly's key social affairs committee across three terms, his departure triggered a major reshuffle in Primorsky's parliament. He was swiftly removed as committee chairman and replaced by Vsevolod Romanov, formerly head of the rules committee. According to PrimaMedia insiders, the vote to oust Chemeris was not unanimous, with Deputy Sergei Slepchenko abstaining. Slepchenko later stepped down as leader of the United Russia faction in the Legislative Assembly, with Speaker Anton Voloshko taking his place.
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