Constructing a “patriotic alternative”: LDPR youth policy as a mobilization tool before the parliamentary elections

The purpose of the study. To identify the nature and effectiveness of the youth policy of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) as an instrument of electoral mobilization in the run-up to the 2026 State Duma elections. The work focuses on the analysis of the gap between the all-Russian rhetoric of the party, which constructs the image of a “patriotic alternative”, and the practices of its implementation at the regional level. The methodology is based on a comparative case study and event analysis of the public activity of LDPR youth branches in three contrasting regions (Moscow, Omsk Region, Primorsky Krai) for the period from February to May 2025. The empirical base was made up of data from the party’s official communities on the VKontakte social network. The findings confirm the hypothesis of a high centralization of ideological design in a fragmented and heterogeneous regional practice. Three implementation models are identified: presentation-based (Moscow), locally adaptive (Omsk region) and formally declarative (Primorsky Krai). It has been established that the effectiveness of mobilization is limited by a set of interrelated barriers: the lack of a unified strategy, a shortage of personnel and resources in the field, and the dominance of image formats over meaningful work. The conclusion of the article indicates that in order to transform youth policy into an effective tool for mobilizing the Liberal Democratic Party, deep institutionalization is needed, including the development of standardized regional programs, the creation of transparent career elevators and a shift in emphasis from representative activism to projects of real political participation.