Of course, nothing comes to a halt just because the election campaign has ended. On the contrary, the complex legislative work—the very reason deputies come to parliament—is just beginning.
In effect, the voters have placed their trust in the deputies. That trust must be earned over the next five years. This means turning everything promised during the campaign into reality. As the President said today: “Meeting the demands of society and the mandates of the voters determines the effectiveness of the authorities, including the legislative body.” This requires both responsibility and patience. In some areas, it means overcoming significant resistance from those who dream of restoring the liberal order of the past. But we have faced this before, and we prevailed together. We will prevail this time, too.
The deputies have decided that, in this convocation, I can be of greater service as Chair of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs. I will do my utmost to ensure that Russia’s voice on the global stage rings out louder and more convincingly. This does not mean that the other issues to which we have devoted so much attention will be forgotten. Far from it.
Our long-standing challenges—such as negative demographic trends, the need to return to classical education, and the need to bring order to the migration sector—will not simply vanish on their own. We will continue to address them while simultaneously strengthening the country’s position on the international stage.