| The Union of Right-Wing Forces (SPS) is prone
to sudden new ideas. Petr Kutcherenko, a member of the SPS national
political council and leader of the SPS youth wing, has proposed
asking Boris Yeltsin to head the democratic bloc during the parliamentary
elections scheduled for December 2003.
Kutcherenko thinks Yeltsin should head the democratic bloc in
particular; not the SPS party list.
Kutcherenko: "The SPS is too small for Yeltsin. If he consented
to be the first on the party list, that would send a signal to
all the democratic forces to unite."
Alexei Kara-Murza, head of the Russian Reforms Research Center,
says many options could be proposed, but it is not clear how this
exotic idea could be implemented.
Kara-Murza: "The next elections will be based on party
lists, and at present there is no 'democratic bloc'. Moreover,
the SPS and Yabloko have not agreed on a combined list yet."
Kara-Murza conisders that Yeltsin is in good form now, and would
be be able to make an adequate assessment of this proposal. Kara-Murza
says Yeltsin's time has already passed.
Yeltsin's popularity ten years ago and his popularity before
his re-election are different things. In terms of popularity today,
he is viewed as retired.
Sergey Markov, head of the Political Research Institute: "Yeltsin
has discredited himself sufficiently already. And after two years
of rest, he wants to rule again. I think that some minor political
forces are trying to exploit his desire to do so." Markov
thinks this idea originated from the "Kremlin old guard",
who are trying to put pressure on Putin in some way.
However, some analysts believe the initiative of the SPS youth
leader is a real plan of the democrats, who have developed it
to become stronger before the election.
See also:
Duma Elections
2003
Presidential Elections
2004
YABLOKO and
SPS
| 