Medvedev?

[mears]

Does anyone else apart from Putin's supporters have a chance in the March election then? I heard that a few years ago a fash called Zhirinovsky was quite popular. How much influence do the far right have in Russia - I used to think quite a lot but I've been reading recently that a lot of this was overexaggerated, either by Putin's supporters or by the Western media fulfilling old stereotypes of Russia being "backwards". Do the communist party have any chance of any real political influence any more, either?

I've heard loads about how popular Putin is in Russia, but is he popular everywhere or just the more "western" part of the country - do opinions differ about this kind of stuff depending on what region you go to? Obviously in Chechnya he wouldn't be very popular, but what about places like Vladivostock and other parts of Russia perhaps more influenced by China/Japan than Europe?

Sorry for all the questions lol, it's just that I'm studying Russian politics as part of my course and I find it really interesting!

I believe Putin plays well with ethnic Russians, from any part of the country.

Zhirinovsky was (and is) a complete buffon, who remains on the fringes of the far right, racist element in Russian politics.

I went to Russia in early november of 2001 and walked straignt into a communist gathering celebrating the communist revolution of 1917. Eighty year old women with pictures of Stalin, and other assorted oldies singing songs - it was quite entertaining.

 

[newharper]

I went to Russia in early november of 2001 and walked straignt into a communist gathering celebrating the communist revolution of 1917. Eighty year old women with pictures of Stalin, and other assorted oldies singing songs - it was quite entertaining.

I'm sure you condescended enough to be thoroughly entertained, didn't make you question your own conditioning though did it?