Russian Political, Economic, and Security Issues and U.S. Interests
Abstract
First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, President Putin's chosen successor and long-time protege, was elected President on March 2, 2008 with about 70% of the vote. Medvedev had announced that if elected, he would propose Putin as Prime Minister. The Putin regime has already brought TV and radio under tight state control and virtually eliminated effective political opposition, assuring this transition. The Kremlin s Unified Russia party had previously swept the parliamentary election (December 2, 2007), winning more than two-thirds of the seats in the Duma. The economic upturn that began in 1999 is continuing. The GDP, domestic investment, and the general living standard have been growing impressively after a decade-long decline, fueled in large part by profits from oil and gas exports. Inflation is contained, there is a budget surplus, and the ruble is stable. Some major problems remain: 15% of the population live below the poverty line, foreign investment is relatively low, and crime, corruption, capital flight, and unemployment remain high.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 04, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA486042
Entities
People
- Stuart D. Goldman
Organizations
- Library of Congress