Assuming he returns to the presidency at the next election, Mr Putin will be eligible to serve two terms of six years, meaning that he could hold office until 2024, when he will be 71. By that stage, he will have been the most powerful man in Russia for 34 years.
This week's demonstration of voter fatigue, however, must reduce the chances of Mr Putin ever achieving that Herculean level of political longevity. Russians may admire his achievement in rebuilding the authority of the state after the turmoil of the Yeltsin era and making their country's voice count for more in the world, but they have been repulsed by the extent of official corruption.
Living standards for Russia's emerging middle classes have been stagnant since the onset of the financial crisis in 2008. Meanwhile, high oil prices have allowed an amoral elite to line its pockets. In the long run, these forces will erode the foundations of Mr Putin 's Kremlin. This election provided the first clear evidence of that process at work.
No comments:
Post a Comment