Russian parliamentary elections usher in a new era: Commentary

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 12, 2003

Russian parliamentary elections usher in a new era: Commentary

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The Moscow News published on December 9 can be called unique in style. "Beginning from a blank paper. The election of the fourth State Duma (lower house of parliament) drags the nation back to 1989. Democratic movement starts afresh". Except for the headlines printed in sizeable letters, the front page of the newspaper is really a piece of blank paper. Other papers and magazines, though not as bold as that, sighed for the change of world and the passage of time, believing Russia is entering a new era after the elections.

What is more thought-provoking is, the Kremlin, which habitually stressed national stability, didn't blame the press for its alarmist talks. A senior official even voluntarily talked to the press, saying that the parliamentary elections ended a political transition period and a new political era is just round the corner.

The result of Russia's parliamentary elections can be summed up in one sentence--"the strong became stronger and the weak weaker". Yet the remark is not strong enough to describe the serious imbalance between the strength of the party in power and that of opposition forces. In the newly elected State Duma composed of 450 representatives, almost half seats were taken by "United Russia", a party of the "foundation of rule" in Putin's eyes; the "Motherland" election alliance, which also has an official color, secured 37 seats; and the Liberal Democratic Party, which maintains long-term cooperation with the ruling party, also scored 38 seats. Obviously, the party in power is able to firmly control of the new State Duma, and maneuver an absolute majority if necessary. A sharp contrast to this is the fact that the Right-wing opposition parties have totally lost their chances of political participation, with the Communist Party of Russia, once the largest party out of office, left isolated and weakened. It is based on such a fresh political reality that talks about a new era appeared.

Looking forward to Russia's future political situation, officials are inspired by the gaining of a firmer ruling base, at the same time seeing bigger room for action. Having entered the Kremlin as successor to Yeltsin, despite the two men's different political ideas and divergent views on economic development patterns, Putin had to stick to established practices at the initial ruling period, and play the role of a "patching-up president" balancing interests of various groups. After years of hard work, Russia's power departments have further strengthened their influence on the nation's political situation. Not long ago Russia saw its new generation politicians clash violently with heavyweights of a former time over the Yukos Oil Company case. The elections this time, to a certain extent, can also be viewed a national referendum on important issues including the fate of financial magnates. The victory of "United Russia" not only straightened the relations between the parliament and the government, but also indicated popular support for the current authorities. Many say Putin will make full use of the political advantage to create his image as a "man of power", so as to push forward various radical reform policies in a firmer manner.

The opposition, while lamenting the "retrogression of the democratic process", laid stress on over-centralization of executive powers and manipulation on legislative and judicial departments. Referring to the fact that independent media was "oppressed" and pro-president parties used "administrative resources" during the elections, a few political commentators even said "new-style dictatorship" had appeared in Russia. They went so far as to predict that the new regime, after putting the new State Duma under control, would do whatever it desires and lead society into a new round of turbulences.

Objectively speaking, these bitter remarks, though serving political feuds, reflect the opposition's hidden worries about practical interests. In their opinion, after the parliamentary elections, the huge wealth of financial oligarchy is likely to be re-distributed, and some interested groups may inevitably become sacrifice to the adjustment of economic policies.

Election takes place one after another in the world, but elections of milestone significance are rare. Yet we can say that Russian parliamentary elections this time, to some extent, changed the nation's political pattern. However, no matter how people talk about the new era, it will never, as Moscow News put it, "start from a piece of blank paper".

This article, appeared on the third page of People's Daily, December 11, is written by Lu Yansong, and translated by PD Online staff member Li Heng.

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