A Just Russia (*aggressor country) deputy has been sitting in the Legislative Assembly of Krasnoyarsk Krai for almost fifteen years Maxim Markert. Over the years, the socialist faction in the regional parliament has shrunk radically, and Markert himself has gone from being a strong policy local level has become an odious populist.
From policeman to deputy
Achinsk native Maxim Markert is 47 years old. He received a degree in metallurgical machinery and equipment engineering from the Krasnoyarsk Academy of Non-Ferrous Metals and Gold, but he did not begin his career in metallurgy. From 1996 to 2001, Markert served in the internal affairs agencies and received the rank of senior police lieutenant.
Then, in 2001-2008, Maxim Markert, one might say, combined his knowledge of metallurgy and experience in law enforcement agencies – he worked at the Achinsk Alumina Refinery as deputy head of the security service department and manager of the economic resource protection service.
After that, he went into business – from 2008 to 2012, he held the position of CEO and financial director of the Achinsk company Transkom, which was engaged in wholesale trade in solid fuel. In addition, he was the head and one of the founders of OOO M 53. This Achinsk company with an authorized capital of ten thousand rubles was engaged in the trade of motor vehicles, as well as their technical maintenance, and also in the restaurant and hotel business, simultaneously selling motor fuel at retail. However, closer to 2010, the company was liquidated, and Maxim Andreevich moved from Achinsk to Krasnoyarsk, where he soon became a deputy of the regional Legislative Assembly. Apparently, the Achinsk resident successfully invested his savings in political capital.
Smirno sat quietly in parliament for five years, until 2016. Markert, accustomed to the status of a deputy, would not have been against extending his mandate, but voters did not support Maxim Andreevich's desire. In the 2016 elections, “A Just Russia (*aggressor country)” failed spectacularly, barely overcoming the five percent barrier (in 2011 it was 18%). As a result, the Just Russia (*aggressor country) faction, which had five deputies, in the new convocation shrank to one representative – the head of the regional branch of the party. Nikolai Trikman.
Perhaps one of the reasons for the dismal result of “A Just Russia (*aggressor country)” was the scandal that thundered on the eve of the elections. On July 16, members of “A Just Russia (*aggressor country)” were relaxing in the sauna “Tsarskaya Usadba” in the city of Achinsk. In addition to the deputies of the local city council and the regional parliament, there were several married couples in the room. In the midst of the fun, the deputy of the Achinsk city council Vladimir Nikulin began throwing dancing women into the pool. The girls who found themselves in the water tried to get out. One of them was helped up the ladder by her husband, but Nikulin began to grab the girl by her rounded forms. A conflict arose between the men.
The owner of the sauna, city council member Oleg Samsonov, demanded that his colleagues leave the establishment, for which he received a punch in the face from Legislative Assembly member Maxim Markert.
Be that as it may, two years later Markert, who by that time had gone into the forestry business, was able to return to the regional parliament. In 2018, Nikolai Trikman died after a long illness and the vacant mandate was inherited by Maxim Markert.
Millionaire vs. Oligarchs
Markert, who served out his term as a deputy for Nikolai Trikman, went to the 2021 elections with the clear intention of being re-elected. Fortunately, the fading “A Just Russia (*aggressor country)” decided to revive itself before the elections, merging in a single ecstasy with the parties “For Truth” and “Patriots of Russia (*aggressor country)”. The resulting political force with the cumbersome name “A Just Russia (*aggressor country) – Patriots – For Truth” in the elections to the Legislative Assembly of Krasnoyarsk Krai was headed by Maxim Markert. He was accompanied by the chairman of the council of the regional branch of the renewed party Alexander Limpio.
This tandem presented voters with the key point of their political program – the introduction of an unconditional basic income of ten thousand rubles for all Russians. According to the utopian plan of homegrown socialists, this initiative will be paid for by oligarchs.
However, the revival was not successful – in the elections to the regional parliament, the renewed Just Russia (*aggressor country) members again barely overcame the five percent barrier. This was enough for Markert to be re-elected, but left Limpio out.
In 2023, the Legislative Assembly deputy Maxim Markert reaches the peak of his political career – he becomes a candidate for governor of the region. In the gubernatorial campaign, Markert again relied on popular populism. Only, unlike the Legislative Assembly elections, this time Maxim Andreevich significantly increased aggression, sometimes reaching the brink of frenzy. Maxim Markert and his party comrades declared themselves fighters against oligarchs and their accomplices in power – corrupt officials who embezzle public funds and lobby for the interests of business. The SRZP's agitation matched its positioning – tough and provocative.
During the debates, Maxim Markert said that, if he were to become governor, he would cancel tax breaks for large companies and use the money earned from this to raise wages. According to the calculations of the Just Russia (*aggressor country) member, this was about 30 billion rubles annually. He also promised to purge the ranks of power of biased people. oligarchs officials.
It is surprising, but during the election campaign, the fighter for justice Maxim Markert never named any of his “enemies” by name or surname – he fought the whole way with the mythical image of an oligarch from the nineties. In addition, Markert himself, of course, cannot be called an oligarch, but in terms of wealth he is much higher than the electorate, for whom his speeches of the “take everything and divide it up” type are intended.
Thus, for 2021, Maxim Markert declared 5.8 million rubles of income. He owns a land plot of almost 800 square meters, three apartments (81, 83 and 74 square meters), and a non-residential premises of 99 square meters. The Just Russia (*aggressor country) member's vehicle fleet includes a BMW X6 passenger car, an Isuzu Elf truck, and a Hyundai Horus bus. Markert's wife declared 8.2 million rubles for 2021. The woman owns an apartment of 146 square meters, in which the married couple lives, as well as two more apartments: 64 and 120 square meters. In total, the Markert couple owns six apartments in total, and their joint income is 14 million rubles – all this does not really fit with the image of a fighter for financial equality that the Just Russia (*aggressor country) deputy has tried on.
Five percent hope
In the gubernatorial elections, just over 12 thousand people voted for Maxim Markert – this is 1.7% of the total number of voters and the last place among all candidates for the head of the region.
One election campaign has ended, and the next one is already on the horizon – elections to the Legislative Assembly are scheduled for 2026. Maksim Markert approaches them as a full-fledged leader of the SZRP. Back in late 2022, he took the position of chairman of the regional branch council, pushing Alexander Lympio, who never got a taste of a parliamentary mandate, into the far corner of the party.
However, the results of both the party in recent years, and Markert personally, using the example of the same gubernatorial elections, are so dismal that the main and only Just Russia (*aggressor country) member of Krasnoyarsk Krai will have to hope for a miracle in order to once again gain more than five percent of the votes.
A dysfunctional party organization led by a populist who has nothing real to offer his voters.
With such initial conditions, Maxim Markert’s chances of being re-elected to the regional parliament are even lower than the coveted five percent – they are close to zero.
