Nikita Belykh
Encyclopedia
Nikita Yurevich Belykh is a Russia
n politician and former leader of the Union of Right Forces
party. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly
of Perm Krai
(until December 11, 2008), and now is confirmed as governor of Kirov Oblast
.
Nikita Belykh was born on 13 June 1975, graduated from Perm State University
. In 1998 he became vice-president of the "Perm Financial-Industrial Group". In 2001 Belykh was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Perm Oblast
, where he became chairman of the committee on economic policy and taxation.
In December 2003 Nikita Belykh was a parliamentary candidate for the Union of Right Forces
, which failed to pass the nationwide 5 per cent threshold required for entering the State Duma
. In March 2004 he was appointed Deputy Governor
of the Perm Oblast
.
On 28 May 2005 Nikita Belykh was elected leader of the Union of Right Forces, a leading democratic opposition party, succeeding Boris Nemtsov
. He thereby resigned as Deputy Governor of Perm. As party leader Belykh adopted a line of strict opposition towards Russian President Vladimir Putin
and launched coalition talks with Yabloko
party.
As a result of the agreement between Nikita Belykh and Grigory Yavlinsky, reached in October 2005, the Union of Right Forces
and Yabloko
formed a coalition, Yabloko-United Democrats
, to contest the Moscow City Duma elections on December 4, 2005. The coalition won 11% of the vote and became one of only 3 parties (along with United Russia
and the Communist Party
) to enter the new Moscow legislature.
In December 2006 the Union of Right Forces received 16% of the vote in the regional legislative elections in Perm Krai
. Belykh, who headed the party's list of candidates, was elected to the Legislative Assembly.
In September 2008 Belykh announced that he has resigned from his position and left the Union of Right Forces in connection with its likely upcoming merger with a couple of pro-Kremlin parties.
On December 8, 2008, Belykh was nominated governor of Kirov Oblast
after personal meeting with Dmitry Medvedev
. Many of Belykh's former colleagues such as Boris Nemtsov
have sharply condemned Belykh's decision to take the President's offer and Maria Gaidar
has declared that Belykh "has sold his soul to devil". (Since then, Maria Gaidar has become an official responsible for socio-economic development in the Kirov region.)
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n politician and former leader of the Union of Right Forces
Union of Right Forces
The Union of Right Forces, or SPS , was a Russian democratic opposition party associated with free market reforms, privatization, and the legacy of the 'Young Reformers' of the 1990s: Anatoly Chubais, Boris Nemtsov, and Yegor Gaidar. Nikita Belykh was the last party's leader...
party. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch.The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as a number of Latin American countries....
of Perm Krai
Perm Krai
Perm Krai is a federal subject of Russia that came into existence on December 1, 2005 as a result of the 2004 referendum on the merger of Perm Oblast and Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug. The city of Perm became the administrative center of the new federal subject...
(until December 11, 2008), and now is confirmed as governor of Kirov Oblast
Kirov Oblast
Kirov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Kirov. Population: -History:In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Vyatka remained a place of exile for opponents of the tsarist regime, including many prominent revolutionary figures.In 1920, a number of...
.
Nikita Belykh was born on 13 June 1975, graduated from Perm State University
Perm State University
Perm State University or PSU is located in the city of Perm, Perm Krai, Russia. Founded in 1916, it claims to be one of the oldest universities in the Ural and eastern territories of Russia. Its current rector is Igor Makarikhin.-History:...
. In 1998 he became vice-president of the "Perm Financial-Industrial Group". In 2001 Belykh was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Perm Oblast
Perm Oblast
Until December 1, 2005, Perm Oblast was a federal subject of Russia in Privolzhsky Federal District. According to the results of the referendum held in October 2004, Perm Oblast was merged with Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug to form Perm Krai.The oblast was named after its administrative center,...
, where he became chairman of the committee on economic policy and taxation.
In December 2003 Nikita Belykh was a parliamentary candidate for the Union of Right Forces
Union of Right Forces
The Union of Right Forces, or SPS , was a Russian democratic opposition party associated with free market reforms, privatization, and the legacy of the 'Young Reformers' of the 1990s: Anatoly Chubais, Boris Nemtsov, and Yegor Gaidar. Nikita Belykh was the last party's leader...
, which failed to pass the nationwide 5 per cent threshold required for entering the State Duma
State Duma
The State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
. In March 2004 he was appointed Deputy Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Perm Oblast
Perm Oblast
Until December 1, 2005, Perm Oblast was a federal subject of Russia in Privolzhsky Federal District. According to the results of the referendum held in October 2004, Perm Oblast was merged with Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug to form Perm Krai.The oblast was named after its administrative center,...
.
On 28 May 2005 Nikita Belykh was elected leader of the Union of Right Forces, a leading democratic opposition party, succeeding Boris Nemtsov
Boris Nemtsov
Boris Efimovich Nemtsov is a Russian politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Russia from 1997 to 1998. He was a co-founder of the Russian political party Union of Right Forces and is an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin.-Early life:...
. He thereby resigned as Deputy Governor of Perm. As party leader Belykh adopted a line of strict opposition towards Russian President Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
and launched coalition talks with Yabloko
Yabloko
The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" (Russian: Росси́йская объединённая демократи́ческая па́ртия «Я́блоко» Rossiyskaya obyedinyonnaya demokraticheskaya partiya "Yabloko"; is a Russian social...
party.
As a result of the agreement between Nikita Belykh and Grigory Yavlinsky, reached in October 2005, the Union of Right Forces
Union of Right Forces
The Union of Right Forces, or SPS , was a Russian democratic opposition party associated with free market reforms, privatization, and the legacy of the 'Young Reformers' of the 1990s: Anatoly Chubais, Boris Nemtsov, and Yegor Gaidar. Nikita Belykh was the last party's leader...
and Yabloko
Yabloko
The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" The Russian United Democratic Party "Yabloko" (Russian: Росси́йская объединённая демократи́ческая па́ртия «Я́блоко» Rossiyskaya obyedinyonnaya demokraticheskaya partiya "Yabloko"; is a Russian social...
formed a coalition, Yabloko-United Democrats
Yabloko-United Democrats
Yabloko-United Democrats was a coalition between Yabloko party and the Union of Right Forces formed for the Moscow municipal elections on December 4, 2005....
, to contest the Moscow City Duma elections on December 4, 2005. The coalition won 11% of the vote and became one of only 3 parties (along with United Russia
United Russia
United Russia is a centrist political party in Russia and the largest party in the country, currently holding 315 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. The party was founded in December 2001, through a merger of the Unity and Fatherland-All Russia parties...
and the Communist Party
Communist Party of the Russian Federation
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation is a Russian political party. It is the second major political party in the Russian Federation.-History:...
) to enter the new Moscow legislature.
In December 2006 the Union of Right Forces received 16% of the vote in the regional legislative elections in Perm Krai
Perm Krai
Perm Krai is a federal subject of Russia that came into existence on December 1, 2005 as a result of the 2004 referendum on the merger of Perm Oblast and Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug. The city of Perm became the administrative center of the new federal subject...
. Belykh, who headed the party's list of candidates, was elected to the Legislative Assembly.
In September 2008 Belykh announced that he has resigned from his position and left the Union of Right Forces in connection with its likely upcoming merger with a couple of pro-Kremlin parties.
On December 8, 2008, Belykh was nominated governor of Kirov Oblast
Kirov Oblast
Kirov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Kirov. Population: -History:In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Vyatka remained a place of exile for opponents of the tsarist regime, including many prominent revolutionary figures.In 1920, a number of...
after personal meeting with Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
. Many of Belykh's former colleagues such as Boris Nemtsov
Boris Nemtsov
Boris Efimovich Nemtsov is a Russian politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Russia from 1997 to 1998. He was a co-founder of the Russian political party Union of Right Forces and is an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin.-Early life:...
have sharply condemned Belykh's decision to take the President's offer and Maria Gaidar
Maria Gaidar
Maria Egorovna Gaidar is a Russian political activist and the founder of the Youth movement "DA!" . She is the daughter of former Russian Prime Minister, Yegor Gaidar. On July 23, 2009 she was confirmed as a deputy governor in Kirov Oblast.She was one of the leaders of The Other Russia...
has declared that Belykh "has sold his soul to devil". (Since then, Maria Gaidar has become an official responsible for socio-economic development in the Kirov region.)