Federalism and Local Politics in Russia

Putin and the election of regional governors 117not just for governors, but for mayors and other municipal leaders. 40 Putinwould appoint governors, and governors would appoint mayors and lowerlevelofficials. In his September 2004 speech Putin called for governors toplay a greater role in formation of local organs of power. Ultimately, theresult would be a system under which the only elections would be for president,the Duma, regional legislatures and municipal councils. Combinedwith the increasing emphasis on proportional representation by politicalparties as the basis for creating legislative bodies, one could imagine Russianelections in which the only name of a person listed on a ballot would be forthe office of president.The ideas of democracy and federalism that are a major part of theRussian constitution provided a framework that, if allowed to develop,would give the system built-in ‘safety valves’ that would make it easier toweather periodic crises. The path to a more democratic Russia would be toreform those elements that would strengthen democracy and federalism,such as clarifying the budgets and responsibilities of the centre and theregions, strengthening national institutions, and creating a system of independentcourts. Many analysts questioned the Kremlin’s assumptions aboutRussia and the wisdom of the new strategy. One could argue that excessivecentralization and the consequent deferral of many key decisions to thecentre makes Russia more, not less, vulnerable to collapse. Instead ofincreasing accountability in the regions, it has the effect of making the centreresponsible for everything. Governors, who were just beginning to beaccountable to voters, were now accountable only to Putin.Notes1 V. Putin, ‘Vystuplenie na rashironnym zasedanii Pravitel'stva s uchastiem glavsub'ektov Rossiskoi Federatsii,’ 13 September 2004. From the presidential sitehttp://www.president.kremlin.ru2 The law was passed by a vote of 372 to 60, with only the KPRF and independentdeputies opposed.3 Putin in his public appearances has consistently rejected this characterization ofthe new system, insisting that the election of governors by regional legislatures isthe essential element of the new procedure.4 Moscow and Leningrad, later renamed St Petersburg, had the status of regions(‘subjects of the federation’), rather than cities within regions.5 See A. Sobchak, Iz Leningrada v Peterburg: Putshestvie vo Vremeni i Prostranstve,Kontrfors: St. Petersburg, 1999, p. 143.6 Vladimir Putin, Ot Pervogo Litsa, Moscow: Vagrius, 2000, p. 104. In the bookPutin mistakenly places these events in 1992 rather than 1991.7 The Soviet leadership was encouraging the republics within Russia to join the newunion treaty autonomously from the Russian federation. See the material publishedby the Gorbachev Foundation, Soiuz mozhno bylo sokhranit', 2nd edn,Moscow, 2007, pp. 235-9.8 Starting in 1996 governors were automatically given seats in the upper chamber,which also provided them with immunity from criminal prosecution. Under Putin,regional leaders were removed from the Federation Council and replaced by their