Nezavisimaya Gazeta: “Without jerking and twitching”
Putin has chosen a new format of interaction with the people and his political rivals, and in doing so has calmed down the elites.
Yesterday, Izvestia published the opening segment of presidential candidate Vladimir Putin's election platform in an article titled, "Russia muscles up: The challenges we must rise to face". Its political message is addressed not only at those who took part in the December protests, but also at the elites who are worried by the potential growth of political instability. The prime minister has invited his opponents to take part in a discussion, indicating that this is a form in which he is ready to communicate. This is a logical explanation for Putin's refusal to take part in public debates.
The genre of the article has been set. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov described it as the introductory segment of an election platform that Putin is personally working on. A 100-page document will be published in several parts by Feb. 12 – the last day when the presidential candidates can present their programmes. The article published compares favourably to the draft programme published on the president's website last week. Observers have christened the article an address to the middle class. Putin wrote that Russian "politics and policies are short-termist and limited by issues involving the current preservation or re-division of authority and property."
"This situation has historically resulted from weak public control over policymakers in Russia, its underdeveloped civil society," he wrote.
Gleb Pavlovsky, the head of the Effective Politics Foundation, believes that the article is designed for those who look up to former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the article had been written by the former minister because it is so close to his position," he said." "Putin's words about the weakness of public control over the authorities are designed for new "angry citizens."
It is also important that Putin is acting as a guardian, denouncing "the elites' desire to achieve sudden change, a revolution rather than sustained development. Meanwhile, both Russian and global experience demonstrates how harmful these sudden historical jolts can be: jumping the gun, destroying – not creating."
He adds, sarcastically, that, "in every case these 'rebels' turn into the 'smug upper classes' before our very eyes, resisting any change."
Putin also writes about the importance of stability and assures the elites that he will not allow irresponsible politicians to push the country into the whirlpool of "sudden change." The prime minister explains why everything should remain as is, with minor improvements, Pavlovsky said.
"It is an article written by a guardian, similar to those that were published some five years ago," he added.
However, Putin does not explain why the team that created these problems in the first place should be allowed to deal with them, Pavlovsky said. Why should the people who did the harm be permitted to work to make things well? This is unclear.
Putin does not answer this question. In actual fact, Putin's article will not achieve its goal because it does not encourage dialogue, Pavlovsky said.
"We only hear an answer to the question why Putin cannot find anyone to talk with after Gandhi's death," he said. "It is a quality article that deserves to be discussed, but it was not written to encourage debate."
Putin has clearly defined his preferred form of interaction with his opponents. They can argue with him, but not face to face. Their complaints will be considered. Their questions will be answered... But later, and only if Putin wants to.
On the other hand, Putin is acting smartly in terms of his political practice, experts say.
"By participating in debates, Putin would have greatly increased the rating of his opponents because the people would see that his opponents on par with the prime minister," Alexei Mukhin, the head of the Centre for Political Information, said. "This would be precarious in terms of political practice. Putin's decision is understandable. Indeed, why talk with those who have never been at the helm, who can make promises they will not have to fulfil?"
Moreover, Putin would have to take leave to attend such debates, which clearly does not suit his election strategy aimed at proving to the people that he is always on duty, taking care of the country and the people. His present position allows him to remind the electorate about his socio-economic initiatives every day.
By the way, this is the best argument, showing that Putin's programme is designed not for the middle class, as he announced early in his article, but to socially-dependent groups of the population that are waiting for new benefits. The middle class doesn't need benefits or exceptions from the rules. They need clear legislation and an inconspicuous government whose only task is to ensure compliance with legislation.
Pyotr Shchedrovitsky, the deputy director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Philosophy, said Putin was right when he called for discussing the essence of the candidates' programmes. However, this is a serious commitment for the authorities.
"The tasks enumerated in the article imply that promises must be kept," he said. "If the highly educated people about whom the prime minister has written are not offered highly paid jobs in high-tech sectors, if the corresponding infrastructure is not created, then young talented people will become increasingly dissatisfied."
By Alexandra Samarina
