The cracks appear
Vladimir Putin should clean up the Kremlin and modernise the economy—for Russia’s sake and for his own
RUSSIA'S elections are not intended to produce surprises, just as its streets are not meant to heave with protesters and its political leaders are not supposed to be publicly booed. The country's “managed democracy”, with the media muzzled, only tame opposition candidates allowed and widespread vote-rigging, is designed to hand big victories to Vladimir Putin and his United Russia party. Yet the Duma election on December 4th produced an upset: United Russia's share of the vote fell from 64% to under 50%, giving it only a slim majority. Even more remarkably, demonstrators took to the streets in the biggest protests Russia has seen in years, chanting “Russia without Putin” before troops poured in to stop them (see article). Smaller protests took place in other cities. Now some 17,000 people have signed up for a protest on December 10th in Revolutionary Square, Moscow's main public space. The government has asked them to find a different location.
These events constitute the biggest crack in Russia's regime since Mr Putin first came to power in late 1999. That they are happening just as he prepares to return next March for at least another six years as president is no coincidence.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline "The cracks appear"
From the December 10th 2011 edition
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