In 2011, a social movement appeared in Russia, uniting people who care about the fate of the country. The initiator of the creation of this association, called the All-Russian Popular Front, was V. Putin. Citizens with an active life position and sharing its principles can join the organization.
ONF: tasks of a public association of citizens
In May 2011, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin decided to create an All-Russian Popular Front. The main tasks that were set before the association:
- control over the execution of orders and decrees of the president;
- the fight against squandering and corruption, with inefficient spending of public finances;
- assistance in resolving issues of improving the quality of life;
- protection of the rights of citizens.
The history of the creation of the All-Russian Popular Front
The ONF is a political association that was originally designed to facilitate the influx of fresh ideas, proposals and new faces into the United Russia party. The front was created on the eve of the legislative elections.
A few months before the start of the election campaign in the State Duma of the 6th convocation, sociological services noted a decline in the popularity of the United Russia party. Political scientists expressed the view that this political force may not gain a constitutional majority after the election, which can guarantee the adoption of basic decisions in this house of parliament.
In early May 2011, V. Putin, who held the post of chairman of the government at that time, participated in a meeting of the conference of the regional branches of United Russia in the Southern Federal District. Here the head of government announced that a new type of political union is being created. He noted that a political party needs an influx of fresh ideas and proposals, new people. It was necessary to ensure the support of the party from those who are not its members. The most widespread political tool in the world for achieving this goal is the “Popular Front”.
As part of the ONF, up to 150 citizens who are not members of United Russia could enter the electoral lists. The leaders of the created front believed that a new association could become the basis for the election of the future head of state, which was scheduled for spring 2012. If the association would successfully run in the Duma elections, it could nominate its own presidential candidate.
How was the ONF formed?
The declaration on the creation of the ONF stated that the purpose of the movement was to create a strong and sovereign Russia. It was assumed that those forces that share similar efforts by the organizers of the front will join the movement.
The statement on the creation of a popular front resonated among public organizations. One of the first to join the ONF was to join:
- “Union of Women of Russia”;
- Federation of Independent Trade Unions;
- “The Union of Pensioners of Russia”;
- “Russian Union of Afghanistan Veterans”;
- Public organization of motorists “Freedom of choice”.
To enter the All-Russian Popular Front was proposed to opposition movements. However, the representative of the Solidarity movement B. Nemtsov refused to join the ONF. S. Mironov, who led Just Russia, did not accept this proposal either.
Some political forces announced that they intend to create their own analogues of the All-Russian Popular Front. Indeed, the “Russian All-Union Union” and the “Union of Cossacks of Russia” entered the united patriotic front of the “Sovereign Union of Russia”. And the Communist Party stated that it is ready to oppose its “People’s militia” initiative to V. Putin’s initiative.
By the end of May 2011, a number of opposition parties that did not have state registration formalized their association - the so-called “National Salvation Committee”. Among its members were:
- “Other Russia”;
- "ROT front";
- "Left front."
The organizers of the alternative front saw their goal as opposing the implementation of the "elective performance", which, in their opinion, was played by the authorities.
The order of entry into the organization
The admission of new participants to the ONF is organized as follows: the candidacy of member organizations is considered by a special ONF body - the coordination council, which began work on May 10, 2011. The council included 17 people representing the country's political and entrepreneurial elite. The organ was headed by Vladimir Putin. At the local level, the regional coordination councils are leading the admission of new members to the association.
In early June 2011, the ONF leadership announced that not only organizations but also private individuals who share the objectives of the movement and its orientations can join the association. To become a member of the All-Russian Popular Front, it was necessary to fill out a questionnaire on the website of the Prime Minister, indicate there full name, gender, occupation, home address, email address. A few days later, the number of people wishing to join the ONF reached 5 thousand people. Joined the ONF were given the opportunity and the teams of enterprises. The first of these members were Russian Post and Russian Railways.
To date, the number of opportunities for applying for membership in ONF has expanded. On the official website of the All-Russian Popular Front in the section "Contacts" there are addresses of regional branches of the ONF. The information contains the actual address of the branch, its email address and contact phone number. Active citizens who wish to join the movement and become more useful to society can apply to these organizations at their place of residence. Prerequisite: potential members of the front should share the goals and moral values of the social movement, as well as be ready to actively contribute to the work of the front.
Those Russians who for some reason do not have access to the Internet have the opportunity to enroll in ONF through regional public receptions.
