Russian Party Leaders Sceptical On Medvedev's One Russia Reform Plan
Interfax - 5.25.12 - JRL 2012-97

Perhaps predictably, Russian party leaders have reacted with scepticism to Russian Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev's proposals to reform the ruling pro-Kremlin political party One Russia (United Russia). This summary is based mostly on reports by the corporate-owned Russian news agency Interfax on 25 May 2012.

file photoOn 26 May, Mr Medvedev is expected to be elected as One Russia's leader at the party's congress. On 25 May, he addressed another One Russia gathering, at which he set out his reform plan, its aim in particular to democratize the party through internal elections.

Communists: "You cannot make a dummy walk and work"

The latest reform drive is evidence of the fact that One Russia has failed as a political force, despite its long years in power, Communist leader Gennadiy Zyuganov told Interfax.

"Let's think together about what tasks the head of government and - let's face it - the man about to be named as One Russia party leader has set before its members," Zyuganov invited the interviewer.

A long list followed: "Not to be afraid of harsh criticism from political opponents; to be able to hold meaningful discussions on various issues with them; for decent, respectable people, not crooks, to be the only ones to be able to join the party and to do this without red tape; finally, to help the party not only with new ideas but also money, that is to say simply to pay their party dues." Zyuganov asked: "Is this not a perhaps indirect but quite frank admission that One Russia has managed to accomplish none of these important tasks over its long period of time in power?"

At the same time, he welcomed Medvedev's call for the party to engage in broad dialogue on major issues. "If One Russia had followed this rule, it would not have tried to push a draft law on huge fines for violations at mass rallies through the State Duma in such a hurry. Instead, it would have explored broad public opinion in this regard first. Indeed, a party that does not listen to or hear people, one which all it does is follow orders from above, such a party is simply doomed," Zyuganov said.

Zyuganov's deputy Ivan Melnikov's reaction was pithy. "You can put a sick man back on his feet, but you cannot make a dummy walk and work. The latter is precisely what they are trying to do with One Russia at its congress," Melnikov told Interfax separately.

Liberal leaders: One Russia's precipitous decline

The leader of the Yabloko party, Sergey Mitrokhin, was equally sceptical about the prospects for One Russia's modernization initiated by Medvedev. "Medvedev's modernization of One Russia will be about the same as Medvedev's modernization of the country as a whole. This is cosmetic change that does not alter the substance. It is unlikely that this will help One Russia to arrest its precipitous decline," Mitrokhin told Interfax.

For his part, Boris Nemtsov, co-chair of the unregistered People's Freedom Party and leader of the Solidarity movement, told Interfax of his conviction that even with Medvedev at the helm of One Russia, its reform will fail. "This party is doomed. A well-known definition has firmly and permanently stuck to it, and no reform will save it," Nemtsov said, with reference to One Russia's description by its opponents as the "party of crooks and thieves".

The reason why One Russia is not viable, according to Nemtsov, lies in the "immorality of the foundation on which this community of people is based": "They understand that the main thing is to be loyal to the leadership, to grasp and perform all its instructions, that they can then act as they please and that for that, nothing will happen to them." "As soon as a truly open and fair election is held in the country, the party will suffer a crushing defeat," Nemtsov predicted.

Political analysts: autocratic; move to right

In his comments, one political pundit predicted that if One Russia follows the path of democratization proposed by Medvedev, it will not survive.

"However democratic and liberal Medvedev's proposals might be, the reality is that One Russia is a highly unusual party, which can turn any democratic process into a tedious bureaucratic procedure," Aleksey Mukhin told Gazprom-owned, editorially independent Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy in an interview, as reported by its news agency. His view is that One Russia has no interest in democratization. "This kind of process, even if it is accepted by the party, can only be for show. Decisions, meanwhile, are taken in the most autocratic way possible," Mukhin said.

In his comments, quoted by Interfax, another political pundit, Dmitriy Orlov, suggested that under Medvedev, One Russia might lean to the right. "Medvedev's arrival will mean a shift to the right. The party will depend on the actions of the Cabinet of Ministers headed by Medvedev," Orlov told journalists on the sidelines of the One Russia conference ahead of its 26 May congress. "According to the analyst, One Russia's move to the right can lead to some reduction in the party's popularity, but it can be compensated for by the (pro-Putin) All-Russia People's Front," the Interfax report added.

Keywords: Russia, Government, Politics - Russian News - Russia

Perhaps predictably, Russian party leaders have reacted with scepticism to Russian Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev's proposals to reform the ruling pro-Kremlin political party One Russia (United Russia). This summary is based mostly on reports by the corporate-owned Russian news agency Interfax on 25 May 2012.

file photoOn 26 May, Mr Medvedev is expected to be elected as One Russia's leader at the party's congress. On 25 May, he addressed another One Russia gathering, at which he set out his reform plan, its aim in particular to democratize the party through internal elections.

Communists: "You cannot make a dummy walk and work"

The latest reform drive is evidence of the fact that One Russia has failed as a political force, despite its long years in power, Communist leader Gennadiy Zyuganov told Interfax.

"Let's think together about what tasks the head of government and - let's face it - the man about to be named as One Russia party leader has set before its members," Zyuganov invited the interviewer.

A long list followed: "Not to be afraid of harsh criticism from political opponents; to be able to hold meaningful discussions on various issues with them; for decent, respectable people, not crooks, to be the only ones to be able to join the party and to do this without red tape; finally, to help the party not only with new ideas but also money, that is to say simply to pay their party dues." Zyuganov asked: "Is this not a perhaps indirect but quite frank admission that One Russia has managed to accomplish none of these important tasks over its long period of time in power?"

At the same time, he welcomed Medvedev's call for the party to engage in broad dialogue on major issues. "If One Russia had followed this rule, it would not have tried to push a draft law on huge fines for violations at mass rallies through the State Duma in such a hurry. Instead, it would have explored broad public opinion in this regard first. Indeed, a party that does not listen to or hear people, one which all it does is follow orders from above, such a party is simply doomed," Zyuganov said.

Zyuganov's deputy Ivan Melnikov's reaction was pithy. "You can put a sick man back on his feet, but you cannot make a dummy walk and work. The latter is precisely what they are trying to do with One Russia at its congress," Melnikov told Interfax separately.

Liberal leaders: One Russia's precipitous decline

The leader of the Yabloko party, Sergey Mitrokhin, was equally sceptical about the prospects for One Russia's modernization initiated by Medvedev. "Medvedev's modernization of One Russia will be about the same as Medvedev's modernization of the country as a whole. This is cosmetic change that does not alter the substance. It is unlikely that this will help One Russia to arrest its precipitous decline," Mitrokhin told Interfax.

For his part, Boris Nemtsov, co-chair of the unregistered People's Freedom Party and leader of the Solidarity movement, told Interfax of his conviction that even with Medvedev at the helm of One Russia, its reform will fail. "This party is doomed. A well-known definition has firmly and permanently stuck to it, and no reform will save it," Nemtsov said, with reference to One Russia's description by its opponents as the "party of crooks and thieves".

The reason why One Russia is not viable, according to Nemtsov, lies in the "immorality of the foundation on which this community of people is based": "They understand that the main thing is to be loyal to the leadership, to grasp and perform all its instructions, that they can then act as they please and that for that, nothing will happen to them." "As soon as a truly open and fair election is held in the country, the party will suffer a crushing defeat," Nemtsov predicted.

Political analysts: autocratic; move to right

In his comments, one political pundit predicted that if One Russia follows the path of democratization proposed by Medvedev, it will not survive.

"However democratic and liberal Medvedev's proposals might be, the reality is that One Russia is a highly unusual party, which can turn any democratic process into a tedious bureaucratic procedure," Aleksey Mukhin told Gazprom-owned, editorially independent Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy in an interview, as reported by its news agency. His view is that One Russia has no interest in democratization. "This kind of process, even if it is accepted by the party, can only be for show. Decisions, meanwhile, are taken in the most autocratic way possible," Mukhin said.

In his comments, quoted by Interfax, another political pundit, Dmitriy Orlov, suggested that under Medvedev, One Russia might lean to the right. "Medvedev's arrival will mean a shift to the right. The party will depend on the actions of the Cabinet of Ministers headed by Medvedev," Orlov told journalists on the sidelines of the One Russia conference ahead of its 26 May congress. "According to the analyst, One Russia's move to the right can lead to some reduction in the party's popularity, but it can be compensated for by the (pro-Putin) All-Russia People's Front," the Interfax report added.