Putin's New Constraints
President-elect Vladimir Putin faces a thorny dilemma: He is averse to change, but now faces a political landscape that demands it. Although the protest last Saturday in Moscow was relatively small, dissatisfaction runs deep and Putin can’t return to business as usual. He needs to adapt but probably won’t — meaning that Russia is likely headed into a period of tumultuous and unpredictable politics.
Putin’s predicament stems from his own missteps as well as tectonic shifts in Russia’s political landscape. For roughly the past two years, Moscow elites have grumbled about his leadership — voicing concern about modest growth rates and rampant corruption.… Seguir leyendo »