Starting low
Putin’s approval rates have been negatively impacted by the pension system reform discussion that started shortly after the new government was formed. A proposal to increase the retirement age precipitated a sharp negative reaction among the general public. Although expected, it could not be contained, and if the reform is pursued further, it could negatively impact the regional elections to take place in 22 federal entities in September 2018.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin is now far more likely to win the upcoming September 2018 mayoral election in Russia’s capital and largest city. Although four opposition candidates announced their participation, they all effectively campaigned against each other instead of trying to secure a larger group of potential supporters. Thus, they failed to collect the necessary amount of municipal representatives’ signatures to become registered for the election. That leaves the incumbent with no real competition, unlike in 2013, when Sobyanin was very close to losing to Navalny.
Only minor changes were made in the presidential administration after the election. Putin let go of two advisers responsible for internet regulation policy that failed to control the online communication of the company Telegram, which is still fully operational despite a court ban and multiple attempts to block it. A more significant appointment was Putin’s new representative in the North Caucasus District, Alexander Matovkin, who is a former special operations general. This may serve as yet another indicator that the ongoing anticorruption and governance improvement campaign in the region will be continued.
The number of Russians who consider themselves patriots is increasing, and the meaning of patriotism is gradually improving. Being a patriot is less about defending one’s country from any accusations and more about making positive change and telling the hard truth.
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