Leonid Ragozin is a freelance journalist based in Riga.
On paper, Vladimir Putin has won: The outcome of last week’s vote on constitutional amendments allows him to stay in power until 2036.
In reality, the Russian president’s legitimacy has been grossly undermined. There is a real chance that he may not last beyond his current term.
For the past 20 years, Putin has successfully maintained the appearance of a genuinely popular, majoritarian leader. Yes, the Kremlin subdued all major television channels, clamped down on protest movements and rigged elections to be able to show more convincing levels of support. But all of that …read more
Source:: European Voice
