I do a weekly Russia experts' panel. This week was on the subject of the (sad) state of Russian liberalism
(I would also like to thank Simon Huxtable for an interesting exchange on this topic.)
Short sample:
Vlad Sobell
It is difficult to seriously comment on actions by would-be politicians who clearly lack any ambition to play a serious game.
Developing an appealing, politically successful and genuinely Russian liberalism must surely be an exciting challenge for any ambitious Russian politician and thinker. The country needs such a thing – and is bound to get it in not too distant a future – as a robust center-right force must be created as an integral part of Russia’s political equation. Whatever the Putin bashers say, the president is creating favorable environment for the successful launch of the venture, most recently by his reforms of the electoral system, with their incentives to overcome political fragmentation. However, Russia’s “liberals” diligently continue to flunk the challenge.
Nikita Belykh’s suggestion that he would make way for the “heavy weights” of Kasyanov and Khodorkovsky’s ilk confirms that Russian “liberals” remain hopelessly stuck in their Mickey Mouse universe.
Why should we try to discern a hidden shrewd strategy in something that is no more than a juvenile stunt, aimed primarily at Western Russophobic audience – and cash – as well as domestic regime haters?
The rest:
http://www.untimely-thoughts.com/index.html?cat=3&type=3&art=1728
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