Russia has a democratically elected parliament under the leadership of an executive president.
Main Political Issues
Living standards
Russians are disillusioned at the failure of politicians to improve their living standards. The securities that used to underpin life û long-term employment, guaranteed housing and a basic diet û have been swept away. The decline has hit certain vulnerable groups û particularly the old û rather than the population as a whole.
However, there are signs that conditions may be improving. Retail sales in Russia rose consistently in
the 18 months to mid-1994.
Crime
Crime has risen alarmingly since the collapse of communism. It is no longer safe to walk the streets of St. Petersburg or Moscow after dark. Bureaucratic corruption is now open and rising û officials demand payment for most services. Vladimir Zhirinovsky's promise to crush crime is a major reason behind his recent electoral success, particularly from the newly emerging middle class.
Disaffection with reform
Many Russians are disappointed with President Yeltsin's period in power and his attempts at reform. Mindful of the changing popular mood, parties no longer use the word "reform" but speak of "stabilization."
Russia's loss of Great Power status
Under communism, Russians took a great pride in their country's role in the world. The collapse of the economy and Russia's withdrawal from a global role has badly dented this pride. For many Russians, accepting Western aid and technology is a reminder of Russia's loss of status. The result is that politicians such as Zhirinovsky, who are promising to restore Russia's prestige, are gaining popular support.
Profile
The elections of 1993 confirmed a shift in the popular mood in Russia away from the pro-Yeltsin, pro-Western reformers toward the New Right reform policies advocated by Vladimir Zhirinovsky's Liberal Party.
President Yeltsin dissolved the Congress of People's Deputies in October 1993 in order to break a deadlock in parliament which was impeding the government's program. However, against Yeltsin's expectations, Russia's Choice lost votes while Vladimir Zhirinovky's Liberal Party saw a sharp increase in support. Following the elections, the key pro-Yeltsin reformers, Gaidar and Fyodorov, resigned. Yeltsin's loss of support in the "Duma" was clearly illustrated by the decision of Russian MPs to release the men behind the October 1993 attempted coup, in February 1994.
The rise of Zhirinovsky at the elections was significant. His Liberal Party's program has been likened
to that of the National Socialists in 1930s Germany. Zhirinovsky is offering a New Right vision of Russia. He is not anti-reform, but proposes radical modernization. Much of his rhetoric attempts to inflame passions against ethnic minorities including the Azeris, Chechens and Armenians. He opposes Yeltsin's pro-Western stance. Zhirinovsky is emerging as a leading contender for the presidential elections of 1996.
The other significant change in 1993 was the increasingly aggressive attitude of the regions toward central government. The 89 regions in Russia are resentful that they do not have full control of their resources, while the former republics of the USSR now do. They also resented the Yeltsin-backed restrictions following the October 1993 coup attempt. Yeltsin's recent loss of influence could lead to the revival of a parliamentary debate on how a more federal Russia should work.
The future of Russian politics now depends on the ability of politicians to achieve economic growth. There was sharp change in policy following the elections. In 1994, the "Duma" decided to ignore strict IMF economic guidelines by increasing subsidies to the inefficient state sector. The policy is unlikely to be reversed before the elections of 1996.
