Will the 2026 elections be postponed?

      In recent weeks, discussions have increasingly emerged in Telegram channels and among experts about whether the autumn elections to the State Duma will be postponed. Allegedly, the authorities do not want to take risks, and the ratings have "dropped." We decided to check if there are any legal grounds for these conversations.

      Ilya Grashchenkov, president of the Center for Regional Policy Development, acknowledged in an interview with our publication: the rumors do exist, but they are fueled not by the real situation, but by nervousness.

      "I do not see a serious drop in these ratings. Yes, they have decreased, but not significantly. The final decision will be made in August. But even if 'United Russia' does not gain a constitutional majority, nothing terrible will happen — the CPRF, LDPR, and 'New People' are systemic parties that have worked together," the expert noted.

      According to him, rumors about the cancellation of elections are just rumors. The only thing that could really hinder voting is global cataclysms. But, as he ironically noted, "they can happen at any time," so "some percentage should be accounted for."

      Elena Krait, the official representative of the "Federal Project for Security and Anti-Corruption," stated: "The postponement of the 2026 elections is not legally discussed. The president signed a decree on voting from September 18 to 20. The law (Federal Law 67) provides for postponement only in the case of a state of emergency or martial law. Economic difficulties are not grounds for canceling elections."

      She emphasized: the rumors are "the domain of opposition media," and in reality, planned preparations are underway. For the first time, voters from the DPR, LPR, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions are participating in federal elections. And this, according to her, is "a historic moment."

      When asked about precedents, Krait answered briefly: federal elections in Russia have never been postponed. Not during the crisis of 1998, nor in 2008, nor during the pandemic, nor in 2014. "A tradition of reliability," she summarized.

      The most substantial argument against postponement was added by presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov. As reported by "Kommersant," when asked by journalists about the discussion of postponing the elections, he replied very briefly: "No. Preparations for the elections are underway. They have been announced by the president's decree." The Kremlin representative added that he "had not even heard" of such reports.

      Let us remind you that the decree on the appointment of elections to the State Duma of the ninth convocation was signed by Vladimir Putin on June 16. Voting will take place over three days — from September 18 to 20. According to the Central Election Commission, 17 parties are allowed to participate in the elections.

      But while officials speak of stability, quite different assessments are heard in the corridors. One of our interlocutors, familiar with the situation, briefly characterized the discussion with a phrase that seems to reflect the mood of the majority of the officials and political technologists we surveyed: "What nonsense. The match will take place in any weather."

      The opinions of the officials and experts we surveyed converge on one point: there are currently no legal grounds for postponement — only a state of emergency or martial law. The fuel crisis and inflation do not qualify as such. Ilya Grashchenkov believes that the final decision, if it is to be made, may be announced no earlier than mid-August.