Tag Archives: sverdlovsk

On the municipal reform and war participants, Putin’s press conference and others

The federal reform of municipal public administration continues to throw waves and upsetting people – unsurprisingly, even former war participants. This is just one of the many underlying political risks that the Kremlin is aware of but can do little … Continue reading

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On Russia’s upcoming elections and why they matter

Russia will hold regular regional and local elections on September 12-14 . The “single day of voting” – admittedly, the name is a little confusing given that since 2020 elections in many regions have been held over two or three … Continue reading

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Completing the vertical

The second part of Russia’s ongoing public administration reform will extend the power vertical further downwards. The bill does not only reflect a trust in the tools of digital authoritarianism, but also the goal of giving the federal center a … Continue reading

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The 225 meanings of legitimacy

Amidst an increasingly harsh crackdown on dissent, a crisis of legitimacy haunts the Duma elections that will take place in seven weeks. But what does this actually mean? I argue that Russia in 2021 is not Belarus in 2020, but … Continue reading

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The plague year of the regions

The pandemic year of 2020 battered regional budgets. Some went through a double crisis due to the oil slump in the first half of the year. However, official figures released in January show a somewhat rosier picture than many feared. … Continue reading

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