How To Make Russia Great Again

Reuters

Boris Mezhuev, National Interest: How to Make Russia Great Again

The Putin administration must change its perspective on regional self-governance.

In 2012 Russian president Vladimir Putin was confronted by mass protests in Moscow and was able to more or less legitimately win the presidential elections and move his protégé and predecessor Dmitri Medvedev to the chair of prime minister. Today, as a fresh round of protests takes place over upcoming Moscow municipal elections, however, Russia is experiencing a more profound and protracted crisis. It is time for Russia to reinvent itself as a patriotic nation through local self-governance.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The above author is onto something. Russia has a long history of power being centralized in the Kremlin, and IMHO it has not served the country well. Many cities and regions in the Russian Federation are now suffering because their needs are not being addressed, and this in turn is causing dissension and protests. Unfortunately, I do not see Putin or his successor pushing this decentralization agenda. They are still wrapped around with the idea that Russia can only stay strong and protected if the Kremlin continues to run the show. But change is coming. I just do not know when.