The Uncertainties of Putin's Democracy

A central aim for Russia's presidency under Vladimir Putin has been to consolidate the state and secure a constitutional mode of politics. Putin has reformed Russia's crumbling federal structure under Yeltsin, reined in the regional elite, fenced out external over-mighty actors such as the oligarchs from politics, and presented a vision for a 'responsible' press and multi party system. Yet, the future of Russia's democracy under Putin seems imbued with several uncertainties. Presidential powers have yet to be transferred in an openly democratic and transparent manner, and rapidly changing alignments in the political elite continue to spur the formation of new political blocs and parties that have limited possibilities of forming a viable opposition. After years of transition, the Russian system is still one where political parties play a relatively marginal role, civil society remains unstructured and unable to constrain government, parliamentary oversight of government is limited, and intra-elite struggles and personal loyalties dominate the political landscape. Electoral struggle takes place, parties and blocs compete for popular votes, and there is a comprehensive legal framework for competitive elections. Still, the outcome of the electoral struggle is to a certain degree determined -- as in Russia's presidential elections -- and yet unpredictable with regards to the general direction of Putin's policies. A central question has emerged: Will a liberal constitutional policy prevail under Putin, or will the regime regress into excessive management of Russia's fragile democracy? These proceedings consist of articles presented at a NUPI conference in January 2004 and seek to highlight this question. Contributors cover the character of Russia's presidential regime under Putin, the performance of political parties, the role of the media in campaigning, the political role of Russia's oligarchs, and the developments of Russia's feckless civil society. They suggest that Russia's strong-powered presidency yields uncertain prospects for the development of genuine democracy.