A campaign deprived of colour

MOSCOW, MARCH 24. Cynical pragmatism has replaced romantic notions about a new democracy in the run-up to Sunday's presidential vote - a fundamental shift that has produced the dullest election campaign in post-Soviet Russia.

Contenders and the media appear to be resigned, or looking forward, to the expected victory of the Acting President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, and are more busy trying to carve out their niches in life under his rule than fighting an election. ``No one expected the election campaign to be so grey, dull and impersonal,'' wrote political analyst Dmitry Pinsker in the weekly magazine Itogi.

It stands no comparison with the recent tumultuous parliamentary poll and, if we recall the passions of four years ago, the senselessness of the current campaign becomes striking.

``It seems that the issue is the favourite - the race entirely reflects his personality.'' It has not been like this since Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev allowed relatively free polls in the Soviet Union.

In 1991, Mr. Boris Yeltsin became the first elected President of Russia, then part of the Soviet Union, overcoming fierce resistance from the Kremlin's communist rulers. His dominant character determined the collapse of the Soviet Union and Russia's ups and downs since then.

In 1996, Mr. Yeltsin won again, beating the Opposition Communist leader, Mr. Gennady Zyuganov, in a fierce battle decided by Mr. Yeltsin's personality, huge financial and media support and a clever PR campaign playing up fears of a Communist comeback.

Mr. Yeltsin's frenetic search for a successor in the last two years of his rule finally brought in Mr. Putin, First as Prime Minister in August and then as acting President on New Year's eve. The 47-year-old career spy has since done what appeared absolutely unthinkable just nine months ago.

He has all but won the election long before voters cast their ballots on Sunday, depriving the campaign of spice. The question which remains wide open is what Mr. Putin will do after the ballot, but it has had little impact on campaigning.

It appears that Mr. Putin ensured his victory in the parliamentary election in December last year, when a little more than a nod in favour of a new political grouping, Unity, was enough to make it the second biggest force in parliament. Since then, he has totally dominated Russian politics and it is difficult to describe the campaign for the presidency, the biggest prize in the world's biggest country, as a race.

- Reuters

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Section  : International
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