No. 171: The politics of the Putin regime

Author(s): Witold Rodkiewicz, Jadwiga Rogoza, Emil Souleimanov
Editor(s): Stephen Aris, Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perovic, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder, Aglaya Snetkov
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Issue: 171
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen; Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, George Washington University
Publication Year: 2015

This edition examines two aspects of current 'regime politics' in Russia. Firstly, Witold Rodkiewicz & Jadwiga Rogoza characterise the Putin regime's turn to a conservative ideology as 'potemkin conservatism', suggesting that in the long-term the gap between the regime's conservative slogans and its actual conduct will undermine its credibility in the eyes of Russian society. Secondly, Emil Souleimanov assesses the relationship between Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and the Putin regime. He concludes that ultimately Putin will continue with his strategic wager on Kadyrov, in spite of the increasing tension between Kadyrov and both neighbouring republics and parts of the federal siloviki. Thirdly, we have recent opinion poll data on public attitudes about patriotism and the position of Kadyrov in Russian politics.

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