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Main page > Products > Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts - The weekly bulletin > Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts. Issue No (28) 716
Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts. Issue No (28) 716
June 30 - July 6, 2008
Main political trends of the week
Last week showed again that both members of the power tandem were able to find consensus on fundamental points of domestic and foreign policies. While there is practically full continuity of foreign policy with only some stylistic differences, some trends in the economy formed during Vladimir Putin’s second term are getting adjusted. Although these changes are rather cosmetic, they may strengthen administrative and staff positions of Dmitry Medvedev. In particular, the president intends to replace state officials in boards of directors of state companies with independent directors. Such tactical discrepancies probably inspire those who want to rock the boat and who again made some statements that question the achievements of Putin’s epoch as well as undermine legitimacy of Dmitry Medvedev.
It also became obvious that the duumvirate members managed to divide the party field without conflicts. In line with his status of senior partner, Vladimir Putin will supervise the party of power, United Russia, that has a constitutional majority in the State Duma, while Dmitry Medvedev will take care of minorities represented by the Communist Party, Just Russia and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR). At the same time Just Russia obviously counts on the new president hoping to return the status of the party of power No 2, which is testified to by its expansion plans. Such variant of the situation development is possible if state authorities fail to cope with inflation and left ideas become even more popular in the electorate.
The unity on the top does not mean decline in the intensity of inside-elite conflicts that so far do not endanger the system’s stability on the whole. There is quite an intensive struggle on second and third levels of government where there is confrontation around deputy minister posts. The law of Putin’s balance is observed almost everywhere so far; a success of one elite group on one direction is offset by a failure on another.
New appointments in the economic development ministry and the defense ministry can illustrate this thesis. Igor Manylov, a protégé of State Duma legislation committee head Pavel Krasheninnikov and Supreme Arbitration Court chair Anton Ivanov, became deputy minister of economic development. At the same time appointment of Vladimir Popovkin as deputy defense minister for armaments substantially reduces chances of another ally of Dmitry Medvedev, Viktor Cherkesov, head of the Federal Agency for Procurement of Military and Special Equipment, to turn this agency from virtual to really functional.
Major events June 30 - July 6, 2008
| Event | Winning side | Defeated side | Development Outlooks |
|---|---|---|---|
Dmitry Medvedev’s interview with G8 mass media representatives | Dmitry Medvedev, Vladimir Putin | Dmitry Medvedev will continue declaring his loyalty to Putin’s course | |
| Vladimir Putin meets with United Russia deputies in the State Duma | Vladimir Putin, United Russia | Attempts to stir up United Russia will continue | |
Dmitry Medvedev meets with leaders of LDPR and Just Russia factions in the State Duma | Dmitry Medvedev, Just Russia | Parliamentary minorities will be in the president’s sphere of influence | |
Dmitry Medvedev delivers a speech at the Russian Council of Legislators | Dmitry Medvedev | President will keep on actively using anti-corruption rhetoric | |
Igor Manylov is appointed deputy minister of economic development | Pavel Krasheninnikov, Anton Ivanov | Manylov will lobby Krasheninnikov’s initiatives in the ministry | |
Alexander Konovalov is appointed special presidential representative on cooperation with the EU in the sphere of freedom, security and justice | Dmitry Medvedev, Alexander Konovalov | Viktor Ivanov | Konovalov will intensify work on this direction and achieve tactical success |
Creation of the capital construction department in the regional development ministry; Vladimir Kogan is appointed to head the department | Vladimir Kogan, Dmitry Kozak | Kogan will keep on lobbying allocation of additional funds to complete dam construction in St. Petersburg | |
| The article “Bohemian Right” by Alexander Khinshtein is published in Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper | Yury Chaika | Alexander Bastrykin | The results of a possible investigation will not be published |
| The period of detention of deputy finance minister Sergey Storchak is prolonged for 3 months | Alexander Bastrykin | Yury Chaika, Alexey Kudrin | Bastrykin will continue showing readiness to “fight fire with fire” |
The Federal Service for the Inspection of Natural Resources Use requests the Prosecutor General’s Office to check activities of Oleg Mitvol, the service’s deputy head | Vladimir Kirillov | Oleg Mitvol | The Prosecutor General’s Office will get away with a formal reply |
Vladimir Popovkin is appointed deputy defense minister for armaments | Anatoly Serdyukov | Viktor Cherkesov | Chances of the Federal Agency for Procurement of Military and Special Equipment turning into a really operating agency will decrease |
Just Russia leader Sergey Mironov says his party will soon merge with a left party | Just Russia | Just Russia is likely to merge with the Party of Social Justice; however this will not strengthen Just Russia’s positions considerably |
Volume: 15 pages
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National Energy Security Fund © 2007