A recent scandal involving St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenkois a vivid illustration of everything that is wrong with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s “managed democracy.” A secret by-election was organized in two tiny St. Petersburg municipalities to exclude candidates from opposing parties and to guarantee Matviyenko’s victory in the races. Matviyenko is required by law to have a “deputy mandate” before she can be appointed speaker of the Federation Council, something the Kremlin publicly endorsed in late June.
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