Putin's Plan

{
  "authors": [
    "Michael McFaul"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "russia",
  "programs": [
    "Russia and Eurasia"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Caucasus",
    "Russia"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Democracy",
    "Foreign Policy"
  ]
}

In The Media

Putin's Plan

During the campaign, United Russia released a document called "Putin's Plan" that became the party's main message. Although Mr. Putin's actual plan for the future remains a mystery, his plan for the parliamentary election has been carried out.

By Michael McFaul

Published on Dec 4, 2007

Source: Wall Street Journal

Michael McFaulCarnegie's Michael McFaul addresses Putin's future role in Russia in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed. "In searching for a place to park his tremendous popular mandate, Mr. Putin looks now like the victim of his own earlier successes," he writes. "The silver lining or tragic paradox of this situation is that the next phase in Russian politics is likely to be more competitive and unstable than the previous eight years."

Click here to read the article.

About the Author

Michael McFaul

Former Senior Associate

In addition to his role at Carnegie, McFaul is Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and associate professor of political science at Stanford University.

Recent Work

Article
Why a Democratic Russia Should Join NATO
- Леонид Гозман, Michael McFaul
Report
Russia at a Crossroads: Upcoming Elections Defining Issue
- Michael McFaul, Sanja Tatic

Political Reform Democracy Foreign Policy Caucasus Russia

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Europe

Commentary
Strategic Europe
How the EU Can Become Energy Independent
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a global energy crisis, but Europe is stuck in reaction mode. Without more strategic foresight, the EU will remain dependent on fossil fuels and will never be truly secure.
Milo McBride, Pauline Gerard
Commentary
Deciphering Europe’s Relationship with Turkey
Debate is heating up on how Turkey could be integrated into a common European defense framework. Commercial and industrial deals offer a better chance at alignment than sweeping political efforts.
Marc Pierini
Commentary
Strategic Europe
Taking the Pulse: Is it Worth it for Europeans to Placate Trump?
After spending much of 2025 trying to placate Donald Trump, some European leaders are starting to change posture. But is even a hostile Washington still so important to Europe that the U.S. president’s outbursts are worth putting up with?
Rym Momtaz, ed.
Commentary
Strategic Europe
Europeans Are Quiet Quitting the United States
European leaders have now not only lost faith in Donald Trump’s U.S. presidency, but also in America’s hegemony as a whole. But short-term challenges make an immediate divorce unwise.
Rym Momtaz
Article
EU Integration Without Ratification?
Countries face several hurdles in joining the EU, including the final stage of ratifying their accession treaties. Procedural reforms and substantive adjustments could help move the process forward.
Stefan Lehne

More Work from Carnegie Europe

Commentary

Strategic Europe

How the EU Can Become Energy Independent

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a global energy crisis, but Europe is stuck in reaction mode. Without more strategic foresight, the EU will remain dependent on fossil fuels and will never be truly secure.

Milo McBride, Pauline Gerard

Commentary

Deciphering Europe’s Relationship with Turkey

Debate is heating up on how Turkey could be integrated into a common European defense framework. Commercial and industrial deals offer a better chance at alignment than sweeping political efforts.

Marc Pierini

Commentary

Strategic Europe

Taking the Pulse: Is it Worth it for Europeans to Placate Trump?

After spending much of 2025 trying to placate Donald Trump, some European leaders are starting to change posture. But is even a hostile Washington still so important to Europe that the U.S. president’s outbursts are worth putting up with?

Rym Momtaz, ed.

Commentary

Strategic Europe

Europeans Are Quiet Quitting the United States

European leaders have now not only lost faith in Donald Trump’s U.S. presidency, but also in America’s hegemony as a whole. But short-term challenges make an immediate divorce unwise.

Rym Momtaz

Article

EU Integration Without Ratification?

Countries face several hurdles in joining the EU, including the final stage of ratifying their accession treaties. Procedural reforms and substantive adjustments could help move the process forward.

Stefan Lehne