Delegates of the new Russian opposition party Peaceful Russia gathered in Berlin on June 12 and 13 for a party congress to adopt the party program. A total of 126 delegates were invited.
There was heated debate over who should become the party leader. Russian opposition politician and former political prisoner Ilya Yashin was elected chairman with around 60 percent of the vote, Igor Kachetkov, a human rights activist and member of the organizing committee, told Euronews.
The party congress lasted about twelve hours. During the meeting, the party changed its name from Peaceful Forces of Russia to Peaceful Russia, Kachetkov said. The word "Forces" was removed to avoid associations with repression in Russia and the war in Ukraine.
Delegate: "The ability to inspire people is most important"
Many place high hopes in Yashin and his ability to unite supporters.
