New People, the Party Growing in Step with Russias Internet Shutdowns

The Russian party New People, founded in 2020 as a Kremlin-controlled alternative, has doubled its support to 13.4% according to VTsIOM. It surpasses the Communist Party and the Liberal Democratic Party, while United Russia falls to 27.7% and Putin's approval rating hits its lowest point since the war. Discontent over digital blockades is driving this phenomenon.

A map of Russia in gray tones, with loading bars spinning over Moscow and St. Petersburg. Over the map, a silhouette of a crowd with flags of the New People party, while a digital clock shows the decline in approval of Putin and United Russia.

Digital censorship: the catalyst for political change in Russia 🔒

Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia blocked Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. In March 2024, WhatsApp and Telegram became nearly inaccessible. In Moscow, mobile internet disappeared for three weeks, leaving only approved sites on a whitelist. This restriction, affecting millions, has channeled frustration toward New People, a party that promises modernization without challenging the system.

The new Russian formula: fewer networks, more votes for the substitutes 📊

It turns out that cutting off Telegram and WhatsApp not only angers people but also makes them creative: now they vote for the party the Kremlin created so they could complain without causing trouble. New People is rising like foam while the internet goes dark. It's like closing the open bar in a pub and everyone applauding the bartender on duty.