The 2019 elections led to significant and youthful changes in the Ulan-Ude City Council, with affluent offspring joining the city parliament.
Mikhail Gergenov, a 33-year-old council member, is a construction entrepreneur, the son of a wealthy political figure, and the owner of certain containers that need to be removed by Babr.
Gergenov Jr.'s election victory is believed to be due to his father, the wealthiest council member of the People’s Khural, Mikhail Denisovich Gergenov, a prominent United Russia figure in Buryatia, and a successful businessman with various enterprises and positions.
In an interview on Ekho Moskvy radio's Opinion program, Mikhail Gergenov mentioned that his father, with a prominent political career, serves as an example of hard work and public service, which has influenced his own dedication to societal usefulness.
However, Mikhail Mikhailovich, like his father, also inherited a desire for wealth and comfort, which has driven his success as a deputy.
Deputy Mikhail Gergenov is a prosperous entrepreneur in the construction sector, earning a substantial income, although the pandemic impacted his earnings noticeably.
While his real estate holdings are not as extensive as his father's, Deputy Gergenov's assets are still notable.
He owns a modest land plot, two apartments, and three non-residential premises, as well as a Mercedes Benz C230 and a Lexus ES250, which do not have their own garage.
Mikhail Gergenov Sr. and Mikhail Gergenov Jr.
Despite his wealth, Gergenov Jr. has been reluctant to settle debts, leading to a court case with an insurance company in 2019.
Mikhail Gergenov's election campaign was marked by controversy, including an altercation with journalist Vasily Tararuev, though reconciliation was announced the following day, with claims that it was unrelated to the city council elections.
Vasily Tararuev
Many assumed that the case was quickly hushed up after Tararuev forced the Gergenovs to pay him a fee in exchange for relinquishing claims and stopping critical publications.
It is significant that Gergenov Jr. stepped into politics under the banner of the Liberal Democratic Party, and not from the ruling party, like his father. His electoral district No. 9 was completely included in the district of Gergenov Sr., whose face was used without hesitation in his son’s campaign materials, counting on the stupidity of voters who would vote for a familiar surname.
