Putin’s downfall: The coming crisis of the Russian regime

The current trajectory of the Russian regime is unstable and without dramatic change it will crumble within the next year, according to a leading Russia specialist in this Essay published in April 2016.

'Putin’s downfall: The coming crisis of the Russian regime' by Nikolay Petrov argues that Russia’s political regime is unsustainable and lacks capacity to reform in the face of economic turmoil. He argues that the regime has little room for manoeuvre, as excessive centralisation makes the system unstable and inefficient.

Following previous domestic dissent, Vladimir Putin centralised all power in the presidency and weakened Russian political and state institutions in the process. Now, the regime needs to keep delivering military victories or face a loss of support.

ECFR: Commentary, 09.08.16: Vladimir and Nicholas: Putinism enters a new historic phase http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_vladimir_and_nicholas_putinism_enters_a_new_historic_phase_7094

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