When is an election still an election? Berlin and Russia 2026

You can go to the polls and still have no real choice. How can we tell whether our vote can actually change anything? At Reforum, we look behind the ballot and compare the 2026 elections to the Berlin House of Representatives and the Russian State Duma.

An election is shaped long before the votes are counted. Much is already at stake: Who can run? Who gets heard? What information is available to us? Together, we follow the process from standing for election to the published result. Through concrete examples, we discuss where political choices open up or disappear and how the media, election observation and independent scrutiny shape that process.

You are part of the discussion: What would make you trust a result? What would you need to know to check it? Bring your questions and experiences and join us to explore what makes an election free – in Russia, in Berlin and beyond.

Moderation: Olga Galkina, former member of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg.

The event will be held in Russian and German with interpretation.

Location:
Reforum Space Berlin
Wiener Straße 31
10999 Berlin

The venue is not barrier-free.