Zhirinovsky, Vladimir

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Russian politician, leader of the far-right Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) from 1991. His strong, sometimes bizarre views, advocating the use of nuclear weapons and the restoration of the Russian empire, initially cast him as a lightweight politician. However, his ability to win third place out of six candidates in Russia's first free presidential elections in 1991, and the success of his party in winning nearly 23% of the vote and 15% of the seats in the December 1993 federal assembly elections, forced a reassessment. However, in the June 1996 presidential elections his support fell to below 6%.

His complex, unpredictable personality is tellingly revealed in his autobiography Last Thrust to the South which has been likened to Hitler's Mein Kampf. He has been seen as a threat to democratic progress in Russia.

Red and white are the colours of Bohemia, dating back to the 13th century. Blue represents Moravia. Unlike that of the Slovak Republic, the Czech flag is not based on the pan-Slav colours. Effective date: 1 January 1993. >>