RUSSIALINK: “Depoliticization in Russia: The Growth of the Protest Vote” – Carnegie Moscow/Andrey Pertsev

“Unhappy with plans to raise the retirement age, the decline in their living standards, and tax hikes, Russians can’t vote for the real opposition. Strong candidates are either not allowed to run or prefer to cooperate with the authorities by not running, while in-system parties deliberately tone down their rhetoric. Under such conditions, the protest vote becomes random: people are willing to vote for anyone but the ruling regime candidates. …”