The government is responsible to the elected parliament (Duma), but executive power lies firmly with the president. ProfilePresident Boris Yeltsin's second term (1996–1999) was overshadowed by his health problems, economic crisis, and corruption. Dramatic changes of government personnel were a characteristic of this period, as Yeltsin confronted the Duma in both 1998 and 1999 over his choice of prime minister. The confrontation ended with the appointment of Vladimir Putin, a little-known former head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), who became Yeltsin's favorite to succeed him. Putin has greatly consolidated his position since coming to power as acting president from the end of 1999. Having stormed to victory in the first round of the 2000 presidential elections, he has tackled the power of the business "oligarchs," and of Russia's 89 regional governors, with his program of centralization. His support within the Duma has been consolidated by the transformation of the Unity bloc (which he formed for the December 1999 legislative elections) into an official party. A merger with the Fatherland bloc in April 2001 made Unity the largest single party in parliament. The conflict in Chechnya, although it damaged Putin's image internationally, has by contrast been a key element in his domestic appeal as a strong leader. This was shaken by criticism of his handling of the Kursk submarine disaster, in which 118 sailors died in August 2000. However, the marked improvement in the economy during his first year in office stood greatly to his credit in popular opinion, as it also did for Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, appointed in May 2000 with revitalizing the economy as his central task. The Communist Party, which until April 2001 was the single largest party in the Duma, remains powerful because of its effective organization and its ability to appeal to those who have suffered from the upheavals of the post-Soviet period. However, even with parliamentary allies, it has been unable to take power. Its leader Gennady Zyuganov has three times been beaten to the presidency. Main Political IssuesLiving standardsRussians became disillusioned at the failure of politicians to improve their living standards. The fall of communism swept away the securities which used to underpin life – long-term employment, guaranteed housing, and a basic diet – hitting the old particularly hard. Uneven and crisis-prone efforts at introducing a market economy under former president Yeltsin created much insecurity. Putin has more credibility on running the economy. Crime and corruptionCrime levels rose alarmingly under the post-Soviet regime, and visitors began to be warned against walking the streets of St. Petersburg or Moscow after dark. Widespread bureaucratic corruption was countered by the power acquired by business tycoons, the so-called "oligarchs," who snapped up privatized industries at bargain prices. Putin launched a crusade against these oligarchs, but has shied away from a full-scale review of the privatization process. Regionalism and separatismNation-based separatism is brutally suppressed. Nowhere has this been made clearer than by the ferocious military campaign in Chechnya. Influence accumulated under the Yeltsin regime by Russia's 89 regional governors was reversed by Putin's efforts to concentrate power in the presidency. Control of police and taxation has been centralized in seven huge federal districts, responsible only to Putin, and the governors have been stripped of their seats in the upper house, the Federation Council. Russia's loss of great power statusOnce the counterweight to the USA, Russia's importance on the global stage was seriously dented by the collapse of the USSR and the subsequent economic difficulties. Since 2001, however, the Putin regime has had some success in reclaiming Russia's international influence. |