More than a Cog in the Kremlin's Machine

A Political Portrait of Tatarstan

Author(s): Danielle Lussier
Editor(s): Jeronim Perovic, Robert Orttung, Matthias Neumann, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Issue: 42
Pages: 2-5
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen
Publication Year: 2008

Tatarstan negotiated one of the highest levels of autonomy for any region within the Russian Federation during the Yeltsin era. Putin's efforts to centralize power curtailed many of the advantages the republic had originally won. Ironically, the strengthening of central institutions actually forced greater democracy in the region. However, as the key patron in a clientelistic system, Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev remains extremely powerful and the Kremlin has little choice but to take his preferences into account if it wants to maintain the support of Tatarstan's population. Shaimiev has effectively co-opted the Kremlin political machine for his own purposes

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