Spoiler Candidate Wins Mayoral Election in Sverdlovsk Region

In the city of Berezovsky, Yulia Maslakova, an administration employee known as a spoiler candidate, has been elected as the new mayor. She defeated the incumbent mayor, Evgeny Pistsov, reports NewsBox.

In Berezovsky, located in the Sverdlovsk region, mayoral elections have concluded with an unexpected outcome. Yulia Maslakova, head of the local administration’s investment development department and the wife of a former city chief’s driver, claimed victory.

The previous mayor, Evgeny Pistsov from the 'United Russia' party, had led the city since December 2011, serving three consecutive terms. His term expired in the fall of 2024, but the appointment process for the position was only conducted at the end of January 2025.

The final selection came down to two candidates—Pistsov himself and Maslakova. On January 30th, during a city council meeting, deputies elected Maslakova by a majority vote. Interestingly, she previously attempted to withdraw from the contest, but by the voting stage, this was no longer possible.