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3/2/2008

Earlier today polls opened for Russia's presidential election, amid dispute over the legitimacy of the election. Exit polls are confirming expectations that Dmitry Medvedev will win by a landslide, netting nearly seventy percent of the vote in comparison to the twenty held by rival Gennady Zyuganov. Zyuganov has expressed concern over potential fraud in this election, telling the Itar-Tass news agency that he will go to court over the numerous irregularities in the election.

This election, which signals the formal end of Vladimir V. Putin's eight year presidency, has been a hot-button issue in both international and domestic politics. Internationally, the monitoring of the election, and the process leading up to it, has been a point of contention between Europe and the Kremlin. Election motoring organizations say that they have not had adequate time prior to the election or support to compile accurate reports. In February the primary elections monitoring body in Europe, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (O.D.I.H.R.), canceled its mission to observe the election. O.D.I.H.R. cited the Kremlin's restrictions on time and staff allowed as hampering its ability to fully and accurately assess the election. The restrictions placed limits on the number of observers present on election day, as well as baring the normal long term observers. The role of the long terms observers in monitoring candidate registration and the media would have been particularly important, as several opposition candidates have been barred from the election, and a bias in the media has been admitted to by the state.

Domestically, opposition candidates have seen their campaigns marginalized and their airtime limited by the state-run media. Vladimir Churov, Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Russia, described the state coverage of the candidates as "Fair, but not equal," noting that Medvedev already received coverage due to his current role as deputy prime minister. The registration of candidates with the C.E.C.R. has also been a sore subject, as opposition candidate Mikhail Kasyanov was barred from the election on legal grounds.

What does all this mean for Russia? The election will likely remain as it stands, with Dmitry Medvedev succeeding Vladimir Putin as president. Mr. Putin has said he will step down to the prime minister position, and it will be interesting to see if the power shifts from the presidency to the prime minister. More importantly it sets an uncomfortable precedent for the amount of control the Kremlin can exert over elections, and lends credence to western fears of autocracy in Russia. In this period of heightened tension between the West and Russia, it may lead to the further degradation of political ties, particularly with the U.S. However, this continuity with Putin's political and economic plans may add additional internal stability to the country, which is enjoying a burgeoning oil economy.

Learn more about this author, Robert Alverson.
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