Vladimir Putin got some discouraging news from today's parliamentary elections in Russia. The party of the former president and current prime minister (and, if all goes to plan, future president) saw a steep drop in support, garnering about 49 percent of the vote, compared with 64 percent in 2007. If the projections hold up, the United Russia party will hold 220 seats in Parliament, down from 315. To make matters worse, websites that alleged poll violations were shut down by hackers. The election will be seen as a defeat for Putin, as it was a key test of his popularity heading into the presidential election.
