Russia is neither a democracy nor a monolithic, one-party state, but rather an electoral autocracy in which multiparty elections are the primary means of acquiring power. Though these elections are not free and fair, they enable political competition among a variety of political actors. This chapter describes the key parties, movements, social cleavages, and issues that drive electoral behavior in this system. The chapter also highlights the undemocratic features of the system that constrain full and fair competition. These include the role of the hegemonic party, United Russia; the constraints placed on opposition forces; and the use of electoral manipulation by the regime. By examining the many tensions inherent to electoral autocracy, the chapter demonstrates how elections can both stabilize the regime and undermine it.
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