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OSCE to Boycott Russian Election
February 08, 2008 11:58 AM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
Europe’s main elections watchdog, the OSCE, will boycott the Russian presidential election next month. Putin’s chosen successor, Dmitry Medvedev, will likely win the election.
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The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has said it will not send observers to the March 2 presidential election in Russia because of “severe restrictions” Moscow has placed on the size and scope of its mission.
"An election is more than what happens on election day," said Christian Strohal, the head of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). “What is true for every election is also true for this one: transparency strengthens democracy; politics behind closed doors weakens it.”
It is widely believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to limit Western scrutiny of what the International Herald Tribune describes as an election “tightly scripted by the Kremlin.”
Putin is approaching the end of his second term, and the Russian constitution prohibits him from running for a third consecutive term. But some analysts say he will remain in charge if he becomes prime minister, a post he has been offered by his handpicked successor, Dmitry Medvedev.
The Economist writes that Putin has moved to ensure his continued hold on power. With last December’s election, rated “not fair” by international elections watchdogs, he strengthened his grip on the Duma, the Russian parliament. He has also eliminated serious challengers to his protégé Medvedev.
Speculations about the former KGB agent’s intentions were fuelled last year by highly publicized photographs of a bare-chested Putin on vacation at a mountain resort.
Russian radio talk show host Yevgeniya Albats suggests that Putin is trying to enhance his appeal among voters, another sign he is here to stay.
However, David R. Marples, professor of Russian history at the University of Alberta, Canada, disagrees with the notion that Putin is trying to maintain his political power. He writes in The St. Petersburg Times that once Putin steps down, he will not come back.
"An election is more than what happens on election day," said Christian Strohal, the head of the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). “What is true for every election is also true for this one: transparency strengthens democracy; politics behind closed doors weakens it.”
It is widely believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to limit Western scrutiny of what the International Herald Tribune describes as an election “tightly scripted by the Kremlin.”
Putin is approaching the end of his second term, and the Russian constitution prohibits him from running for a third consecutive term. But some analysts say he will remain in charge if he becomes prime minister, a post he has been offered by his handpicked successor, Dmitry Medvedev.
The Economist writes that Putin has moved to ensure his continued hold on power. With last December’s election, rated “not fair” by international elections watchdogs, he strengthened his grip on the Duma, the Russian parliament. He has also eliminated serious challengers to his protégé Medvedev.
Speculations about the former KGB agent’s intentions were fuelled last year by highly publicized photographs of a bare-chested Putin on vacation at a mountain resort.
Russian radio talk show host Yevgeniya Albats suggests that Putin is trying to enhance his appeal among voters, another sign he is here to stay.
However, David R. Marples, professor of Russian history at the University of Alberta, Canada, disagrees with the notion that Putin is trying to maintain his political power. He writes in The St. Petersburg Times that once Putin steps down, he will not come back.
Headline Links: OSCE to boycott election
The OSCE said it will boycott Russia’s March 2 presidential election because of “severe restrictions” Moscow has placed on the size and scope of their mission. Dmitri Medvedev, first deputy prime minister, is the favorite to win the election after Putin endorsed him in December.
Source: The Guardian
Moscow has sought to limit Western scrutiny of what the International Herald Tribune calls an election “tightly scripted by the Kremlin.” The election lacks any significant challenger to Medvedev.
Source: International Herald Tribune
Reactions: Russia decries OSCE
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin accused the OSCE of political bias against Russia, saying the organization usually sends only 10–20 observers one or two weeks before elections in other countries. He called the OSCE’s actions “unacceptable.”
Source: RIA Novosti
Background: Independent candidate disqualified
Russia's Central Election Commission disqualified the only independent candidate in Russia’s presidential race, The Guardian reports. Activists have called the move undemocratic.
Source: The Guardian
Analysis & Opinion: What next for Putin?
“Ever since he became acting president on the last day of 1999, Mr Putin has moved progressively to snuff out even the faintest flickers of democracy that he inherited from Boris Yeltsin. He has crushed opponents, emasculated the courts and parliament, eliminated independent broadcast media, scrapped the autonomy of Russia's regions and blatantly fixed elections,” writes The Economist. The newsmagazine says Putin will be in charge even as prime minister.
Source: The Economist
The Economist writes that there is little hope for change in Russia despite the rhetoric of presidential favorite Dmitri Medvedev. In a speech given last week, Medvedev emphasized the importance of pluralism, freedom and justice. “Mr. Medvedev will become Russia's president after March 2, but may well not be in charge,” writes The Economist. “Behind him stands Mr. Putin, his probable prime minister and (perhaps) bad cop to Mr. Medvedev's good cop.”
Source: The Economist
The photographs of Putin with his shirt off stirred a lot of speculation in the media about the message the outgoing president might be sending. Radio talk show host Yevgeniya Albats suggested Putin was trying to raise his appeal among voters, a sure sign he is not relinquishing power.
Source: International Herald Tribune
Whoever Putin’s successor is, the powers he will have as president will predispose him to use them and curb the influence of rivals, including Vladimir Putin, according to David R. Marples, professor of Russian history at the University of Alberta, Canada. Marples says that like his predecessor, if Putin steps down, he will not return to the presidency.
Source: The St. Petersburg Times
Related Links: Russia’s parliamentary election
International election watchdogs decried the democratic shortcomings of the Dec. 2, 2007, Russian parliamentary election, causing many to wonder whether Putin was aiming to prolong his presidency beyond the current legal limits. The governing party United Russia won 64 percent of the vote, securing 315 of 450 seats in the Duma, the Russian parliament.
Source: findingDulcinea
© 2008 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
