Setting the election stage
A surprise candidate entering the presidential race, national popular entertainer and journalist Ksenia Sobchak has significantly undermined Alexei Navalny’s chances to be allowed to run. Although an active opposition member in the past, Sobchak hardly constitutes a threat to the incumbent, yet she can legitimately take an opposition candidate’s place, thereby increasing the overall legitimacy of the elections even without Navalny’s participation.
Eleven new interim governors were appointed in the fall in the same pattern of appointments initiated by First Deputy Head of Presidential Administration Sergei Kirienko. Most of the new appointees have little-to-no connection to the regions they have become responsible for, which reflects the federal center’s increasing influence over federal entities. The regional leadership changes are causing a certain resistance from the most influential governors.
The outstanding level of public enthusiasm for the new “Leaders of Russia” program, the open public official selection and leadership development program launched ahead of the election, demonstrates a high level of disappointment with the nepotism and corruption in the state bureaucracy. The extent of public interest came as a surprise to organizers and may lead to further development of the program.
Russians’ attitude towards entrepreneurs has been gradually improving over the past eight years, but that only refers to small and medium size business owners. Large-enterprise business owners, although generally viewed favorably, still enjoy a significantly lower level of support.
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