Itogi: "Teflon Protection"
Yevgeny Zherebenkov
According to the well-known universal law of Central Election Commission Chairman Vladimir Churov, Prime Minister Putin is always right. But does this axiom hold during a global economic crisis?
The past political year was remarkable in two aspects. First, after moving from the Kremlin to the Government House, Mr Putin formally ceased to be the indisputable national leader, but remained the de facto leader nonetheless. Second, according to Russian political tradition, the Prime Minister and his Cabinet bear responsibility for everything in this country, especially finance. Assuming the post of the Prime Minister, Mr Putin faced, and is facing, the toughest challenge in his political career.
Consequently, Mr Churov's law should have been transformed from an axiom into a theorem, and theorems usually require proof. But surprisingly, the law still applies: Mr Putin's rating is still sky-high.
A Levada Centre survey conducted in November showed that 86% of polled Russians approve of Prime Minister Putin's policy. Some people explain it with Mr Putin's supernatural charisma; others - with people's nostalgia for the past eight years of stability, or the nation's need for a firm hand.
Even the clearly unpopular steps of the Government are unable to decrease Mr Putin's rating. "President, sack Putin's anti-national Government!" - this is what participants of numerous rallies against an increase in customs duties on imported cars demand.
But this has not been the Government's toughest decision. This measure is likely to be followed by an increase in housing and utility rates and the termination of some social programmes. More to the point, the smooth but palpable devaluation of the rouble and unemployment growth augur the moment of truth for the whole "vertical of power". But will these troubles affect Mr Putin's popularity? More often than not, he has demonstrated an ability to take advantage of any crisis; and he's always succeeded in dissociating himself from his subordinates, who were not always effective. The year of the Ox will test the durability of the vaunted "teflon coating" of Mr Putin's rating. But maybe the Ox will scratch it.
