political boundaries in russia:
GOVERNMENTS in russia:
After the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian Council of Ministers became the main executive body. It contained over 69 state committees, 16–17 ministers, 5 federal services, and over 46 governmental agencies. After the 2004 reform, the government duties were split between 17 ministries, 5 federal services, and over 30 governmental agencies. The prime minister is appointed by the president of the Russian Federation (currently Vladimir Putin), and confirmed by the State Duma.
Since the Russian Federation emerged in 1991, the government's structure has undergone several major changes. In the recent years, government bodies, mostly the different ministries, went through a massive reorganization as the old Soviet governing networks were adapted to the new state. Many reshuffles and renaming's occurred.
Since the Russian Federation emerged in 1991, the government's structure has undergone several major changes. In the recent years, government bodies, mostly the different ministries, went through a massive reorganization as the old Soviet governing networks were adapted to the new state. Many reshuffles and renaming's occurred.
POLITICAL CHALLENGES FACING RUSSIA:
- The Putin-Medvedev period
- A democratic breakthrough may take place as pressure builds from below and is accompanied by the readiness of political and business elites to consolidate on the basis of structural reform while an extensive stimulus from outside is available
- An opposition or contrast between Russia's political class
- 67 percent of respondents believe that Russia needs a democracy
- The economic crisis is taking hold of this segment of the population
- Putin remains "the center of gravity" in the perceptions of Russian political elites, the business class, and regular citizens. But only 12 percent of the population thinks that Medvedev is in charge
- One political challenge Russia faces is that about 67% of respondents believe that russia needs a democracy "the social moods in the country will mainly depend on one key factor" – the dynamism of the 20 to 25 million person population of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and certain company-cities. This is the group that will determine the future of Russia's stability. Already, there are signs that the economic crisis is taking hold of this segment of the population, where one in every eight Russians is unemployed and one in every three residents is afraid to lose his or her job. Russians have already experienced a dramatic 30 percent drop in personal income.
- Another political challenge is The Putin-Medvedev period. This period could become crucial for Russia. Even though today the country continues its suicidal statecraft, still this period holds a window of opportunity for modernization. What matters is whether Russia's population and its political elites will find the courage, political will, and means to restructure the Russian system of personalized power before the stagnation and decay become irreversible.
- Another political challenge is Putin remains "the center of gravity" in the perceptions of Russian political elites, the business class, and regular citizens. But only 12 percent of the population thinks that Medvedev is in charge. Despite Medvedev's new persuasive speaking on openness and the necessity to fight bureaucracy—which inspires Russian liberals to believe he may become Russia's next Gorbachev. Having promised to liberalize NGO legislation, for instance, Medvedev appointed Vladislav Surkov, notorious for previously cracking down on Russian NGOs, to oversee this process. Overall, such an unequal presidential-prime ministerial power arrangement "is only a temporary solution for the country. If the Russian political system is not radically restructured, Russia is likely to return to "a more traditional pattern of power, symbolized and embodied by one man at the top." Yet whether the new leader is to be Medvedev, who is "not ready to get out of Putin's pocket," or Putin himself, who "has become a liability for Russian elites," remains to be seen.