Tracing Russia’s (Post-Pandemic) Future: Public Opinion and the Crisis of Late Putinism (May 27)
With Aleksandar Matovski
One of the most significant global trends in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the entrenchment of authoritarian regimes across the globe. Russia, however, has been uncharacteristically absent from this pattern. While strongmen like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and China’s Xi Jinping have used the crisis to consolidate their power and influence, Russia’s Vladimir Putin – previously the top “innovator” in this field – has been struggling to maintain his popular standing and to legitimize the extension of his rule beyond the end of his current term in office in 2024. What do these trends mean for the future of Russia and Putin’s regime?
Wednesday, May 27, 2020, 12:00-1:00 pm, via Webex
The Russian Power Vertical and the COVID-19 Challenge: The Trajectories of Regional Responses (May 29)
With Regina Smyth, Gulnaz Sharafutdinova, and Timothy Model
The COVID-19 pandemic hit Russia at a precarious moment marked by a global oil war and constitutional reforms intended to secure regime stability beyond 2024. These three crises place significant pressure on the Putin system, defined by its focus on statism, international standing, and a power vertical that concentrates power within the national government. As in other federal systems, the Kremlin has responded to the challenge by outlining a decentralized response, resulting in a scramble in the central and regional governments to limit costs and evade blame.
Friday, May 29, 2020, 12:30-2:00 pm, via Webex
