Can Russia's Opposition Liberals Come to Power?

Author(s): Robert Orttung
Editor(s): Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perovic, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Issue: 60
Pages: 2-5
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen
Publication Year: 2009

Theoretically, Russia's opposition liberals could come to power through elections or cooperating with the incumbent authorities. Currently, liberals have little leverage in the elite battles taking place at the top of Russian politics. The only elections with some competition left are at the local level and Boris Nemtsov produced a respectable showing in the April Sochi mayoral elections, though the regime is still able to squash any conceivable opposition. Pursuing an alternative strategy, Nikita Belykh recently accepted an appointment as Kirov governor and is trying to show that his liberal ideology will work in practice, even in extremely unfavorable conditions. While the Yabloko party continues to exist under new leadership, it has not found a strong place under contemporary conditions. Although the liberals have little chance of coming to power at the federal level today, they are building experience in campaigning and governing that could be useful if an opportunity opens in the future.

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