politics in russia political parties and elections
TRANSCRIPT
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Politics in Russia
Political Parties and Elections
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Important political change
• Democratization of political system– introduction of competitive elections– shift from a single-party system to a multiparty
system
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Transformation of party system
• Communist Party of Soviet Union used to dominate state and social institutions– no competition for political office– no mechanism to ensure accountability– party authority couldn’t be openly questioned
• confusing array of political organizations have run candidates in elections since ’93
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New political parties
• government efforts at tightening the conditions for party formation and registration– effect on small parties– effect on party coalitions
• suppress democratic representation?
• bring order to a chaotic and fragmented party structure?
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Russian political parties
• generally form around a prominent individual
• are generally associated with prominent political figures– increased political fragmentation
• do not have a firm social base or stable constituency
• a major cleavage: economic policy
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4 main categories of parties
• reformist parties– democracy and market
• centrist parties– “parties of power”
• communist parties– Communist Party of the Russian Federation
• nationalist parties– Liberal Democratic Party of Russia
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Reformist parties
• liberal democracy– dismantle political framework of socialism– guarantee individual freedom– rule of law
• market economy– open and free market– property rights
• Union of Right Forces and Yabloko
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Communist Party of the R.F.
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Communist Party of the R.F.
• Major successor party to the CPSU– oppose radical market reforms– oppose privatization programs– oppose Western influence
• most party-like of all parties– substantial organizational base– well-defined electoral following– large (but old) membership (~ 500,000)
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Communist Party of the R.F.
• CPRF– rather stable electoral
share– but unlikely to win
parliamentary majority or presidency
• CPRF leader Zyuganov– 1996 and 2000
presidential elections
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Yeltsin campaign in 1996
• Public opinion polls– 24% supported Zyuganov– 8% supported Yeltsin
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Economic reforms
• Macro-economic stabilization– structural adjustment
• cut state spending• increase taxation• end price controls• open trade
– “shock therapy”• all “shock” but no “therapy”
• Privatization
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Centrist parties: a paradox
• Surveys indicate that voters would favor policies and values at the political center– e.g. social democratic party
• but no one has succeeded in creating a major, lasting centrist party– social welfare state– political freedoms– private property rights
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Centrist “parties of power”
• Our Home is Russia (1995 - )– pro-government– centrist– moderately reformist– then Prime Minister headed it– never succeeded in defining a clear program– became a coalition of officeholders
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Unity (“United Russia”)
• Formed 3 months before 1999 election
• active assistance from– then President Yeltsin– then Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
• received 23.3% of the vote in 1999
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Power transition in 1999-2000
• State Duma tried to impeach President Yeltsin but didn’t gather enough votes
• Yeltsin announced that he would resign
• Presidential election
• 2000-03-06
• Vladimir Putin
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“parties of power”
• Parties depend on official support
• avoid building independent bases of organizational support
• policy positions are vague
• vanish when the major sponsors lose power
• Unity would disintegrate if President Putin were to lose power or popular support
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Social bases of party support
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Electoral rules for State Duma
• Similar to Germany’s hybrid system
• each voter has 2 votes– 1 for a candidate for that district’s seat– 1 for a registered party on the party list
• half of Duma (225 seats) elected from single-member districts
• half of Duma (225 seats) selected by parties according to vote share (> 5%)
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1999 State Duma election
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37.60%
12.60%
11.50%
9%
4.30%4%
21%
222
51
36
37
43
94
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Votes Seats
2003 State Duma Election
others
Union of Right Forces
Yabloko
Rodina
Liberal Democrats
Communists
United Russia
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Pro-government majority
• President Putin and his government could generally count on majority support
• pro-government deputies depend on the Kremlin for political support
• little effect on the makeup of government– administrators with no partisan affiliation– almost none were drawn from parliament
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Putin and Stability
• Popular and effective politician
• Has strengthened institutions despite lingering social economic problems
• Has built up the power of the Kremlin and other parts of the central government
• Has undermined aspects of democracy
• without removing basic freedoms or eliminating competitive elections.
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