These parties are trying out the "election technology" applied first in Iran, then Afghanistan. In Iran, with the incumbent President leading in all polls, was sure to win the election over his very distant competition. However, the opposition simply declared themselves "winning", and by inflaming the populace, created a crisis. In a crisis, many an underground political snakes come out to bite, and the simple yelling of "fraud", brought about a political wrestling match. It was a foregone conclusion that the Supreme Leader, Khamenei was going to prevail, the combined powers of Rafsanjani and Khatami, both former presidents, brought out of the closet the clerical ranks that supported that faction. Rafsanjani did not have a choice. He has been identified as the most corrupt clerical politician in Iran, with immense off-shore accounts reported to be in the billions. Khatami, as a beneficiary of Rafsanjani's largesse, had no other choice. Moussavi was pulled out of the political mothballs where Rafsanjani put him when he became the President. He destroyed him, and he resurrected him. The demonstrations we viewed on media was a tempest in the teacup, and was limited to the northern Teheran, and to the wealthy, otherwise known as the "Gucci crowd". In Afghanistan, same. The loosing candidate's only rationale for running, was to discredit elections, and get concessions. Get publicity in the "West" and legitimize your dismal election results. In Russia, I guess they are trying to copy the trend. But loss is a loss. They need to figure out how to gain voters, not grandstand in Duma.