Putinism Under Siege: The Strange Alliance of Democrats and Nationalists

Issue Date July 2012
Volume 23
Issue 3
Page Numbers 46-54
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Adrift without the ideological compass of Soviet communism, almost every political force in post-Soviet Russia has flirted at one time or another with nationalism. Russia’s disputed December 2011 parliamentary elections triggered the biggest popular protests in the country of the past two decades. One of the most striking and unexpected features of these events was the partnership of liberals and nationalists in the ranks of the protesters. It is not clear how long the cooperation between these two groups will persist, but the extent to which they are able to join their efforts is likely to have a critical effect on the future of Russian politics.

About the Author

Nicu Popescu is head of the Russia and Wider Europe Program and senior research fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations in London. He is author of EU Foreign Policy and Post-Soviet Conflicts: Stealth Intervention (2010).

View all work by Nicu Popescu