Cover Osteuropa 6-8/2012

In Osteuropa 6-8/2012

Cracks in the System
The Crisis of Electoral Authoritarianism in Russia

Vladimir Gel’man


Deutsche Fassung

Abstract

In the Putin era, Russia’s political system adopted all the characteristics of electoral authoritarianism. Defeats of the ruling regime in an election are not foreseen. But strategic mistakes on the part of those in power and successful actions on the part of the non-conformist opposition in December led precisely to this rare situation. The strategies of the regime and the opposition have reached their limits. The status quo is unstable.

(Osteuropa 6-8/2012, pp. 23–44)