Election Marks Uncertain Milepost in Russian Democracy

{
  "authors": [
    "Lilia Shevtsova"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
    "Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center",
  "programAffiliation": "",
  "programs": [],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Caucasus",
    "Russia"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Democracy"
  ]
}

In The Media

Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

Election Marks Uncertain Milepost in Russian Democracy

By Lilia Shevtsova

Published on Feb 29, 2008

Source: NewsHour with Jim Lehrer

After eight years of firm rule, Russian President Vladimir Putin is bound by law to give up his position. But Sunday's election, in which his hand-picked successor is expected to cruise to victory, is being derided by some as simply a continuation of his rule. Carnegie Moscow Center's Lilia Shevtsova appeared on Newshour with Jim Lehrer to discuss the dynamic between Putin and his successor.

Click here for video, audio, and transcript.

About the Author

Lilia Shevtsova

Former Senior Associate, Russian Domestic Politics and Political Institutions Program, Moscow Center

Shevtsova chaired the Russian Domestic Politics and Political Institutions Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center, dividing her time between Carnegie’s offices in Washington, DC, and Moscow. She had been with Carnegie since 1995.

Recent Work

In The Media
Putin Has Fought His Way Into a Corner
- Lilia Shevtsova
Commentary
How Long Russians Will Believe in Fairy Tale?
- Lilia Shevtsova

Political Reform Democracy 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 Endowment for International Peace

Commentary
Emissary
Protests Like No Kings Can Only Go So Far to Stem Authoritarianism
Lessons from other backsliding democracies show that mass mobilization needs to feed into an electoral strategy.
Saskia Brechenmacher, Shreya Joshi
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Blocking of Telegram App Sparks Rare Public Rift Among Russia’s Elites
The prospect of a total block on Russia’s most popular messaging app has sparked disagreement between the regime’s political managers and its security agencies.
Andrey Pertsev
Commentary
Strategic Europe
Win or Lose, Orbán has Broken Hungary’s Democracy
Hungarians head to the polls on April 12 for an election of national and European consequence. Three different outcomes are on the cards, each with their own implications for the EU.
Zsuzsanna Szelényi
Article
The Changing Military Balance in the Black Sea: A Ukrainian Perspective
Ukraine’s asymmetric approach has rendered Russia’s Black Sea Fleet functionally useless. But a long-term commitment will be needed to maintain this balance of power.
Alina Frolova, Stepan Yakymiak
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
The Afghanistan–Pakistan War Poses Awkward Questions for Russia
Not only does the fighting jeopardize regional security, it undermines Russian attempts to promote alternatives to the Western-dominated world order.
Ruslan Suleymanov

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

The tops of people's heads. Raised above their heads are "No Kings" signs, an upside-down American flag, and a rainbow flag.

Commentary

Emissary

Protests Like No Kings Can Only Go So Far to Stem Authoritarianism

Lessons from other backsliding democracies show that mass mobilization needs to feed into an electoral strategy.

Saskia Brechenmacher, Shreya Joshi

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Blocking of Telegram App Sparks Rare Public Rift Among Russia’s Elites

The prospect of a total block on Russia’s most popular messaging app has sparked disagreement between the regime’s political managers and its security agencies.

Andrey Pertsev

Commentary

Strategic Europe

Win or Lose, Orbán has Broken Hungary’s Democracy

Hungarians head to the polls on April 12 for an election of national and European consequence. Three different outcomes are on the cards, each with their own implications for the EU.

Zsuzsanna Szelényi

A member of "Timur's Special Forces Unit" of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine looks on on Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Island, located in the Black Sea, on August 14, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Article

The Changing Military Balance in the Black Sea: A Ukrainian Perspective

Ukraine’s asymmetric approach has rendered Russia’s Black Sea Fleet functionally useless. But a long-term commitment will be needed to maintain this balance of power.

Alina Frolova, Stepan Yakymiak

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

The Afghanistan–Pakistan War Poses Awkward Questions for Russia

Not only does the fighting jeopardize regional security, it undermines Russian attempts to promote alternatives to the Western-dominated world order.

Ruslan Suleymanov