1. Political Competition
Russia

2. How do people organize to compete for office?
Russia
intro
How do people organize to compete for office?

3. The Party System
Russia

4. Russia Party System Party System
Russia does not really have institutionalized political parties.
The parties that exist tend to not have clear ideologies or lack platforms..
The parties do not articulate preferences or bring together coalitions and
have no way of holding elected
officials accountable.
Multiple parties rise and disappear between each set of elections

5. Russia Party System Party System
Part of this is due to the fact that people don’t really have ideologies.
The presidency has led to the creation of parties that serve one person’s presidential ambitions, not ideology
The country currently has become basically a one party state centered around the pro-Putin United Russia.
Some recent gains from opposition parties show hope that Russian society is willing to challenge those in power.

6. United Russia
Russia

7. Russia United Russia Party of Power
Parties of power cannot be described in ideological terms
They are created by political elites to support those elites’ political aspirations
They are highly personalized and lack specific ideologies
Ex: Our Home Is Russia Party created for 1995 Duma elections to get more support for PM Viktor Chernomyrdin & President Boris Yeltsin
By 1999, Fatherland-All Russia was formed for PM Yuri Luzkhov

8. Russia United Russia United Russia
The Unity Party was created in 1999 to bolster support for Putin ahead of his first real election.
In 2001, Unity merged with Fatherland-All Russia to form United Russia after beating it in the Duma elections
Drawing on Putin’s popularity and the increasing control of the government over the elections, United Russia swept the elections in 2003.
It has held a big majority in the Duma ever since, and expanded its reach over local government.

9. Russia United Russia United Russia
United Russia is centered around Putin.
It has a youth wing that harasses opponents of the party.
Party membership is a means for people to get access to important jobs in the state and the economy.
Its ideology is less important than its role in guiding loyal elites into positions of power

10. Russia United Russia United Russia
Its platform have always emphasized stability
It is conservative, focusing on economic growth and restoration of Russia as a great power
National pride, economic development, and an end to the instability of the 1990s were selling points of the party.
The party uses Putin as the individual who can achieve these goals.
The party has increasingly stressed moral values, to contrast themselves with the immorality of the West – like being
anti-homosexual

11. The media overwhelmingly gives support to United Russia
The media is dominated by those in power, which tend to be United Russia
They had landslide victories in the 2007 Duma elections, leading observers to say the elections are unfair and lack basic standards for democratic procedures.

12. Communists & Leftists
Russia

13. Russia Communists CPRF
Before the rise of United Russia, the strongest most institutionalized party was the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF)
After being banned by Boris Yeltsin in 1991, it was allowed to reorganize in 1993
It gets support from the population that is ambivalent or hostile to the political and economic changes since the 1980s.
It reached its peak in 1995, becoming the largest party in the Duma.
Now its vote share is less than 15%

14. The party rejects Western capitalism and globalization.
Russia
Communists
CPRF
The party’s head, Gennady Zyuganov, has finished 2nd in every presidential election since 1996 (but that means less than 20% of the vote)
The party rejects Western capitalism and globalization.
It embraces the Stalinist period and calls for a return to Stalinist ideals.
It criticizes Putin & United Russia, but doesn’t do anything about it, because that would likely lead to the destruction of the party.

15. In this way, he could coopt opposition forces.
Russia
Communists
CPRF
As the population of Russia ages, the CPRF is losing its traditional support base.
Some suspect that Putin supports CPRF – as a way to give the system some semblance of political competition.
In this way, he could coopt opposition forces.
As the second largest party, it benefits from voters who are protesting United Russia.

16. Russia Leftists A Just Russia
A newer party that would also be considered leftists
Started in 2006 as several smaller parties merged to be competitive.
It is similar to European social
democratic parties.
It presents a platform based on limiting inequality and emphasizing social justice.
It has the clearest ideology of any other party in the Duma

17. Russia Leftists A Just Russia
Similar to CPRF, many think this party is supported by the Kremlin
Some think it was even created by the Kremlin
This would allow Putin to funnel opposition forces into a small, marginalized party
This makes dissent co-opted. They have a means to legitimately participate on the surface, but in reality they can’t compete
It would also add more evidence that Russia has competitive elections

18. Liberal Parties
Russia

19. Liberalism has not been a popular ideology in Russia
Liberalist Parties
Yabloko
Liberalism has not been a popular ideology in Russia
Yabloko was the liberal party in the 1990s that has only declined since then
The party is pro-Western and pro-market, getting support from white collar workers and urban residents in major cities
Since the small party threshold was established in the Duma, it has not qualified for seats

20. Russia Liberalist Parties Liberalism
Russia has been historically statist and collectivist
Liberal ideology is not likely to find a wide range of public support.
The public supports an active role for the state in the economy, which is opposite of liberalism
As relations between Russia and the West worsen, liberalism is associated more and more as a foreign ideology
Putin has worked hardest to marginalize liberal parties, as their ideology would mean less power for the state

21. Nationalist Parties
Russia

22. Russia Nationalists LDPR Liberal Democratic Party of Russia
(is not liberal or democratic at all)
Uses rhetoric based on nationalism, xenophobia, and anti-Semetism
They advocate for reconstructing the Soviet Union, by force if necessary
They are very hostile toward the West
They appeal to lower class individuals whose standards of living have not improved under Putin

23. Russia Nationalists LDPR
In 1993, they won 14% of the seats in the Duma
Their support declined by the end of 1990s but has been growing steadily
They are the fourth largest party in the Duma
They have consistently supported Putin & his government
People have suspected that they are funded by the government as well

24. Keep knowledge here.
Russia

25. Main Ideas Russia Putin’s Pointers! Presidential dominance
Duma elections
Federal Council
Putin’s Pointers!
Limits on subnational governments.