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GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST - Will Putin’s decision to lead the ruling party result in more power for Russia’s Parliament?

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IP April 24, 2008, 19:22: It looks like Putin is planning to be a prime minister as well as the leader of the United Russia party. I think him being a prime minister will have a larger impact on russia's development and politics than being the leader of the party. And I would not be surprised if the job of being a prime minister will occupy a lot of his time, I feel it is likely that he would step down from his party post or become a part-time leader of united russia.
Russia's parliament is a separate establishment to the united russia party, they do have a considerable number of members in the parliament and they have signifficant influence, but unless Putin takes a leading post within the parliament, I dont think he will directly influence decision making within the parliament.
Sanjay April 20, 2008, 14:48: If it were any other country it would be easier to predict, but in Russia anything is possible.

If Medvedev behaves like Yeltsin, then he will make life very difficult for the russian people and even if putin wants to create a strong parliament, it will be an impossible task.

I do not share Pushkov's and others' view that Medvedev will find it difficult to fire Putin since now Putin is leader of United-Russia.

On the other hand, we must ask, what kind of values and strategy does United-Russia want to pursue for Russia's development?

Having a strong parliament would mean a very thorough thinking over all the Yeltsin era policies, some of which have continued to operate during Putin's rule.

After all Duma means to think, and it is precisely that which is missing from United-Russia.

The rapacious oligarchical establishment that is operating in russia with its hostile socio-economic policies are destroying russia's people, its culture and its population.

The Duma will have to think why there are more than 100 dollar billionaries along with millions of poor, hungry people without jobs, without any future.

From Communist era rotting to Yeltsin era plundering to Putin era ultra-liberalism, will the Duma now accept another, possibly a final round of ultra-liberalism.

Even if Duma gains more power under Putin, will it be able to think good policies which promote innovation, diversification, competition, family-values, reducing import dependence, breaking oligarchical power etc.

Its not clear if Duma will pursue all or any of it at all.

Loud rhetoric, but confused and weak actions which have characterized putin era are not sustainable.
Tiane April 18, 2008, 11:40: Absolutely, and Putin and Mevedev have capabilities to prospect Russia, bring peace to world and i personnaly believe in their efforts.
MihalMihalich April 17, 2008, 08:06: Dear Ladies & Gentlemen

Please do not compare Communist party with United Russia party its just wrong from every angle & in every way no matter how you say it. Don’t go there.

President Putin does what he has to in order to make Duma an effective legislative instrument. There are numerous reasons that require Duma to have practical activity not just on paper like it is today. Those who know about the Duma activity subject for past 16 years can agree with fact that Duma was kinda useless - work wise. Like it didn’t even existed.

It is for the first time in New History that Duma has some structure that can pass necessary laws, and I am sure it will do more in 4 years then it did in past 16 years. Putin has what it takes to make that Branch working. I think Duma will benefit in having number 2 guy in it, who will ensure that State & Duma work together and not against each other as they did since end of USSR. IMHO that is WHY Putin is going into Duma.

As for imaginary power shift - people see what they want to see. It didn’t happen, it’s all in your head.
But if one day Presidential Russia would become Parliamentary I will be very very disappointed, because IMHO Russia will no longer be democratic, simply because people will no longer choose their leader. In Parliamentary structure LEADER is chosen for People by a PARTY like in Great Britain or Ukraine or USSR. And I think Russians can decide what they want, and if you take that away from them there might be revolution. Another example: in United States presidential only 2 candidates are chosen from 2 monopoly parties throw Primaries, as if Americans are all children and can’t make that decision for themselves. Its their business, not mine, I don’t judge them, but there is no other democratic “Primaries” election in the world only in U.S. and it kind of makes you wonder why other countries don’t go for it.

I think Duma is better with Putin then without, I think Russians will see results in couple of months that Duma becomes Important (not impotent).

Best Regards
Paul April 16, 2008, 19:08: With Putin at the helm of the party the risk of the United Party becoming a "vanguard" party is increasing, that is what was a systemic flaw of the Soviet system based on "vanguard" role of one party.

From now on it is becoming even more important for the United Russia
to encourage genuine democratic discussion WITHIN the United Party.
With all the flaws and showmanship of American one party system of
"Bipartisan Approach" none can deny that there is a place with American party system for discussion and constructive, patriotic opposition.

If communist party of the USSR were not pathologically afraid of "fractioning" and would allow alreadyexistingdifferent views of its members to be expressed and shaped in a form of organized fraction or opposition within the communist party than the evolution of the Soviet system would had been possible. However unorthodox views of many Soviet intellectuals, also members of CPSU, never amounted to anything more significant and legitimate than a colloquium at some research institute on
Lininski Mountains.

Of course it is still possible for Putin and his club to create a theater of so called "two parties" similar to that in the USA, but Russia needs something more serious than that if it is willing to escape the fate of the USSR.

Paul
Regular_John April 16, 2008, 17:47: I do not see a problem with Mr Putin becoming both Prime minister and united Russia’s chairman.

Mr Putin has the trust of the Russian people and has been given a strong mandate by the people through the ballot box. At the moment all the real power within Russia lies in the hands of the president and if in the hands of the wrong person this could lead to a dictatorship.

If Mr Putin uses his popularity and influence to empower what is at the moment a weak parliament this would be a big leap forward in Russia’s young democracy. I believe because of circumstances Russia will not have another leader with the mandate Mr Putin now has Russia was in crisis when he became president and he has managed to stabilise the economy and set Russia on course to becoming an economic heavyweight these set of circumstances’ are unlikely to exist again in the future.

As previously said checks and balances are needed in government Mr Putin is in a strong position to introduce these within Russia and should take this opportunity.
I would agree that at the moment United Russia is very dominant in the Russian parliament but we have to look further into the future I believe other parties will take a larger share of the votes when they have the policies people want so long term changes made now will affect the government of Russia long after the present leadership have gone.
Sevodnya_Net April 16, 2008, 17:38: Unlikely, although given that the Duma is little more than a rubber-stamping body for Kremlin poilicies anyway the concept of "more power for parliament" is possibly meaningless.
What it does do is strengthen Putin's position as PM and make it very difficult for the future president to get rid of him.
The fact that Putin will head a quasi-political party of which he is not even a member, as a PM appointed by his own hand-picked successor, merely adds a somewhat surreal feel to the current Russian political scene. The really interesting question is: what is Putin's long-term plan? I wonder if even he knows at the moment.
Vijay April 16, 2008, 17:29: United Russia is the [leading] party of Russia, not [the] party of Russia...

Doesn't matter whether they have 80% or 85% of the seats...its up to the opposition to better and beat that!
That's Democracy after all,
...Its up to them present an alternative scenario/agenda thats more appealing to the majority of Russians...

BTW, who's stopping them from making say...

Gorbachev the chairman of CPSU or one of the multi-gold winners in Olympics a member in Fair Russia or Zrininovsky's Liberal Democratic Party...!

Its competition...after all and Putin is after all the most popular politician in Russia Today...
So what's the fuss about?
Norman April 15, 2008, 23:04: In the United States true party loyalists manage the political parties after holding elected positions. No-one has been more of an effective leader in Russia than President Putin. If only more countries would be so lucky to have a leader like him, even with some of his techniques that may seem autocratic!
Vijay Singh April 15, 2008, 17:51: It creates an interesting system of checks and balances -
Probably giving more powers to the Duma...

However, caution should be taken to prevent this power usurping the presendential powers as well as that Duma does not become a one-party structure...[much more than it is now]...

However it should and could promote party based politics...!
Contributor April 15, 2008, 17:07: I'm surprised Putin didnt name himself Grand Marshal and crown himself as well... but then again Putin is much too clever for that kind of show ;-)