The party is considered to be part of the "systemic opposition" and is generally sympathetic to the agenda of incumbent president Vladimir Putin, including his foreign policy.

[29][30] It then called for a "New Socialism of the 21st Century" which guarantees the rights and freedoms of the individual and ensures the proper functioning of a welfare state.

The Party of Pensioners had gained 3% of the vote, failing to cross the 5% election threshold and also been weakened by infighting in its leadership.

The social-democratic Party of Life led by Sergey Mironov was still relatively young and had won only one regional election.

Such a society, which honours traditions, is proud of its history, and respects the elder generation, is constantly evolving and looks to the future with confidence.Shortly after its creation, A Just Russia participated in its first elections when the party's candidate Viktor Tarkhov [ru] won the mayoral race in Samara.

[46] In the run-up to the December 2007 Duma elections, President Vladimir Putin – the country's most popular politician – explicitly and unequivocally endorsed the United Russia party and decided to head its national list.

Putin's decision significantly changed the election campaign and resulted in a massive boost to United Russia's popularity.

[50] Although originally positioned as a centre-left party, under Mironov's leadership A Just Russia campaigned as a socialist alternative to the Communists.

[48] On 10 December 2007, A Just Russia was part of a coalition of parties which nominated Dmitry Medvedev as their candidate for the 2008 presidential elections.

Politburo's chairman Nikolai Levichev, who also heads A Just Russia's faction in the State Duma, was elected as the council's first secretary.

During its XXIII Congress On 30 June 2008, A Just Russia was accepted into the Socialist International, the worldwide organisation of social-democratic political parties.

[58][57] In March 2011, Mironov stated that the party would not support United Russia's candidate for the next presidential election, and that it would decide on its nomination later in the autumn.

[62][63] Senior party members took part in demonstrations at Bolotnaya Square on 10 December, among them Gudkov and Oksana Dmitriyeva.

Mironov stated that he would "enter the race not to participate, but to win", and also promised to nominate Oksana Dmitriyeva as prime minister if elected.

Mironov urged members to distance themselves from the opposition, claiming that the rallies turned into a "political sect".

He also threatened to expel Ilya Ponomaryov and Gudkov from the party for joining the opposition's Coordination Council.

[67] In December 2017, Mironov outlined the party's new tasks, choosing not to participate in the 2018 presidential election due to his unwillingness to fight "for second place".

RBC reported that, according to sources close to the party's leadership, Mironov's unwillingness to participate in the election was due to fatigue and financial difficulties.

[69][70][71][72] Mironov remained party leader, and according to their unification manifesto, the party would run on "12 principles of truth, patriotism and justice", including "strengthening the role of the state in the economy, developing a progressive taxation scale, toughening punishments for corruption, increasing the minimum wage, pensions and social benefits, phasing out of the high school state exams and budget decentralization".

[77] A Just Russia calls for the creation of a welfare state with less economic inequality, but protecting individual property rights and maintaining a market economy.

It wishes to replace Russia's 13% flat-rate income tax with progressive taxation and demands that spending on employment programmes is increased to 1% of GDP.

[30][39] In the State Duma, the party emphasises its role as "constructive opposition" that opposes high-level corruption and supports further democratisation of the political system.

Two of its deputies, Gennady Nosovko and Dmitry Gorovtchov,[80] have on multiple occasions, at least in 2014,[81][82] 2015,[83] if not in 2012 and 2018 and 2022,[84] proposed a bill that would unfetter mercenaries, who would be able "to provide armed escort of ships; train security forces; assist with mine clearing, protection of officials and facilities; take part in alternative settlement of armed conflicts" and more besides according to the 2014 bill, which would put them under the supervision of the Federal Security Service.

[82] A Just Russia used to be a full member of the Socialist International, but on 7 March 2022 the party was expelled for its support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.