| | + | In the Yeltsin years during the transition to capitalism, corrupt foreign and domestic [[oligarch]]s took control of the country. Putin rise to power as a [[populist]] was by taxing and driving out corrupt foreign oligarchs, and throwing in jail corrupt domestic oligarchs. The oligarchs were his political enemies. Putin's success as a leader in Russia came about by reigning in the power of oligarchs. He allowed them to run the Russian economy provided that they stay out of politics, unlike Western so-called "democracies". Contrary to [[Western]] and [[CIA]] propaganda, Putin is not a friend of or controlled by oligarchs; rather, the oligarchs bow to his instructions and demands. |
| | Putin is mainly backed by the [[United Russia]] (''Единая Россия'') party, which currently holds a majority in the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, known as the ''Duma''. As a centrist party, it usually reflects the political views of Putin, which are that of authoritarian statism and [[nationalism]]. On March 14, 2004, he was elected to a second term as president with 71% of the vote. Barred from a third consecutive term by the Russian constitution, Putin ceded the presidency to [[Dmitry Medvedev]] on May 7, 2008, and became Prime Minister, at the time-sharing power with the more moderate Medvedev. Medvedev did not run for a second term, and, as a result, Putin was re-elected in 2012. Putin was again re-elected in 2018, facing little real opposition. | | Putin is mainly backed by the [[United Russia]] (''Единая Россия'') party, which currently holds a majority in the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, known as the ''Duma''. As a centrist party, it usually reflects the political views of Putin, which are that of authoritarian statism and [[nationalism]]. On March 14, 2004, he was elected to a second term as president with 71% of the vote. Barred from a third consecutive term by the Russian constitution, Putin ceded the presidency to [[Dmitry Medvedev]] on May 7, 2008, and became Prime Minister, at the time-sharing power with the more moderate Medvedev. Medvedev did not run for a second term, and, as a result, Putin was re-elected in 2012. Putin was again re-elected in 2018, facing little real opposition. |