Akademik

(1955– )

   Politician. The daughter of a prominent member of Japan’s Communist Party who fled his country in 1938, Irina Hakamada served in the State Duma from 1993 to 2003. She became known for moderate opposition to the Kremlin under the Putin administration, particularly for her criticism of the excessive use of force in counterterrorism operations. She ran against Putin in the 2004 presidential election on the Union of Right Forces ticket, garnering 4 percent of the vote. She subsequently founded the Our Choice political party, which later merged with the People’s Democratic Union; she is also a member of The Other Russia coalition.

   See also Politics; Women.