Russia changes leadership; does it matter?
Posted: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 9:15 AM
Filed Under:
Moscow, Russia
By Yonatan Pomrenze, NBC News Producer
MOSCOW – Russia inaugurated a new president today. And while there was never really any doubt or drama in the March presidential elections here – Dmitry Medvedev was assured of victory the moment Vladimir Putin announced him as his chosen successor – it is still a mystery what exactly this inauguration will mean for Russia.
Since the elections, Russian media and chat rooms have been trying to guess what the power balance will look like after Medvedev takes over the presidency and Putin becomes prime minister – which is expected as early as Thursday.
The question is: who will really be in charge? Can a "tandem-ocracy," with two leaders at the head, actually work – or will there be power struggles between the two? Media reports say Putin may have as many as 11 deputy prime ministers. The president is the stronger post on paper, but can Medvedev compete with the political capital that Putin enjoys?
Key to success – stability
For some Russians, it doesn’t really matter. Many people I spoke to had no idea when the inauguration is – which may be just the way the Kremlin wants it.
Masha Lipman, a Russia affairs expert at the Carnegie Moscow Center, said that Putin has established a "non-participation pact" with the Russian public. "People accepted it…as long as you deliver, we will not meddle in politics."
While Western media and governments may criticize what it perceives to be a rollback of democracy in Russia, many here simply want the stability, economic growth and newfound feeling of patriotic pride that Putin’s era brought to continue.
Enjoying a sunny day on Red Square this past weekend, retired teacher Irina Ivanova, 73, said she "hopes that the new president will be like Putin. The respect that he commands in the world…he’s beginning to lift this country up."
Part of Putin’s popularity here is due to the fact that he had such an easy act to follow – almost everyone I spoke to compared Putin’s era favorably to the chaos of Yeltsin’s.
"Putin is better than any president we’ve ever had," said Lina Fasulakis, a Moscow businesswoman. "Medvedev will be more of the same. He’s Putin’s chosen successor."
Younger generation – looking for more
But it looks like a simple comparison to the past may no longer be enough. While acknowledging Putin’s accomplishments, many feel the new president has to start delivering more concrete results. Sasha Zhukov, a 25 year-old engineer, said that the biggest problem is corruption.
"Putin hasn’t really done anything about it. We need more active reform," he said, waiting on line at McDonald’s outside the Kremlin walls.
These reforms include translating the petrorubles that Russia enjoys from high oil prices into actual improvements on the ground – better infrastructure, overhauling the healthcare system and figuring out a way to check inflation.
"All this money goes to the bureaucrats!" complained Yulya Ivanova, an industrial manager. "I love Russia, but I don’t love the Russian government. And Putin is …"
"Quiet!" Her mother, Larisa, cut her off. "If you say that about Putin, he’ll print it and then it’ll come back to hurt you!"
"We still have freedom of speech here, don’t we?" Yulya shot back.
