By Yu Sui
Russia has made great strides on its path to economic rejuvenation this year and shows more confidence on the diplomatic front.
Russia's State Duma election ended earlier this month with 63.78 percent of 108 million registered voters casting their ballots for candidates representing 11 political parties.
As widely expected, United Russia, the party President Vladimir Putin backs, emerged victorious by bagging 64.3 percent of the votes, which gave it a 315-seat majority in the 450-seat lower house of parliament.
The Communist Party, Liberal Democratic Party and Fair Russia trailed far behind with 11.57 percent, 8.14 percent and 7.74 percent of the votes respectively, which translate into 57, 40 and 38 seats. The other seven parties all failed to gain a seat because none of them won more than 2.5 percent of the ballots.
The State Duma election was in a sense a public endorsement of Putin's achievements in his eight years as Russian president, as he said: "United Russia's triumph is a stamp of approval for me by the people."
In order to remain in power, albeit in a different role, after his term of office ends next year, Putin has called for the presidential election to be held in March next year, almost on the heels of the parliamentary election.
At a mass rally held in Moscow on November 21, Putin hit out at both ends of the political spectrum in a lengthy speech, slamming the rightwing alliance for "passing unbalanced and irresponsible budgets year after year that caused the economy to collapse and people's living standards to plummet" when they were in power in the 1990s.
He also criticized the Communist Party, saying its policies "left people with few basic services and consumer goods in the 1980s" after decades as the ruling party and "led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union".
He called on voters to support the United Russia party, saying that would allow the country to "maintain the current development principles and pace of economic growth and lead Russia into the top five major economic powers (in the world) within the next 10 years".
His speech was very effective, as United Russia garnered over 10 percent more votes than public opinion polls showed before election day.
There is no doubt United Russia owed its sweeping victory to the achievements of Putin's administration and people's trust in the president.
And there are three reasons that analysts believe Russia is headed in the right direction.
First, "managed democracy" and "sovereign democracy" has kept the political situation stable.
Second, strong showing by the energy sector has pumped up overall economic growth.
Third, refusal to give in under outside pressure has reinforced Russia's esteem as a major power.
"Managed democracy" is a reply to the bitter fruits that uncontrolled democracy brought Russia; while "sovereign democracy" is one free of foreign interference.
The outcome of the State Duma election secured Putin's power structure - the completion of a new political system. Hundreds of political parties emerged after Russia declared independence. They were considered one of the main causes for the country's messy political scene.
Putin had the Political Party Law passed after assuming the presidency specifically to address the problem, intent on gradually nurturing a mature political system with only three or four major political parties.
The concept has now become a reality, as United Russia and its ally the Fair Russia, and the Liberal Democratic Party, which does not oppose United Russia, occupy 393 of the 450 seats (80.18 percent) in the State Duma.
The only real opposition now is the Communist Party, which has seen its membership from about 500,000 shrinking to about 180,000 today.
Putin has significantly "weakened" the CP's strength, but he has also incorporated many ideas from the CP's guiding principles into his own policies.
The more successful Putin is the harder it is for the CP to be the main opposition. However, there is also a downside to this, the two sides' overlapping relationship, and separate efforts to infiltrate each other.
Putin's top concern is to "ensure the continuity of national policies". These "national policies" comprise three aspects.
The first is a "managed democracy" aimed at keeping the political situation stable and the society harmonious, a socialist market economy characterized by emphasis on efficiency and equal attention to fairness, and diplomacy based on the fundamental principle of balance.
The second is "administrative strategy", which is centered on national interests to make the nation powerful and the people rich, economic development with national spirit as the motivation, unity of the whole society with past mistakes as a reminder, and regaining its major power status.
The third is a set of values, which consists of three factors that exist in Russian society today - liberalism, socialism and nationalism. The idea is to combine the three and apply them in economic, political and foreign policies. All these strategic moves characterize Putin's path.
He has always been on high alert against "color revolutions" because they worry him to no end.
In his speech on November 21, Putin openly slammed those who instigated "color revolutions" in Russia, saying "some people in our country are so intimate with certain foreign embassies they have probably worn out their door mats trying to enlist support from foreign foundations and governments instead of their own compatriots".
During the State Duma election, Putin was quoted by the press as saying "Russia has followed a path without serious damage", apparently referring to Ukraine and Georgia, where elections have left the society split and the political system in tatters, in stark contrast to Russia's stable, color revolution-free election.
As for Putin's successor, there is no more suspense.. United Russia chairman Boris Gryzlov once said at a press conference that his party would support any plan President Putin proposed.
On December 10, United Russia, Fair Russia, the Agrarian Party of Russia and Citizens' Force jointly nominated First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as Putin's successor.
And Putin told the leaders of the four parties he fully supported their choice.
It would seem picking 42-year-old Medvedev as Putin's successor fits perfectly with his agenda - "ensuring the country's political situation remains stable, and the economy continues to develop."
On Tuesday, Medvedev announced that he wanted Putin to become prime minister under him.
That said, Putin will continue to play a central role in national politics after his term ends next year.
According to United Russia, Putin is now "the nation's leader". This paramount title means the "Putin era" will not end even though he will not be president any more.
Russia has experienced "destruction, turmoil, restoration and rejuvenation" since the Soviet Union fell apart.
The eight or nine years under Boris Yeltsin's leadership was a period of "destruction" to "turmoil"; while the eight years under Putin has witnessed "turmoil" to "restoration", which is far from over.
People have both understanding and fear as expressed by the international press regarding the likelihood of Putin staying in power in a different role. This in a way underlines Putin's charisma and clout. Truth is, understanding makes common sense and fear is really unnecessary.
The author is a researcher with the Research Center of Contemporary World
(China Daily December 14, 2007)
