NEWSLINK: “Do Russians Want Change?” – Carnegie Moscow/Andrei Kolesnikov, Denis Volkov

“Russians do not express an overwhelming desire for change. Few understand how it could occur in their country. But most recognize that Russia cannot move forward without reform. In Russia, hoping for change often appears to be a lost cause. The public’s social expectations are seldom high, and they often get what they expect: very little. But Russia’s upcoming March 2018 presidential election and the start of a new political cycle-even a purely formal one-provides a strong impetus to reconsider whether there is mass demand for change and what that means. …”