Vladimir Putin introduced a bill that gives an opportunity to politic parties that have won regional parliament elections to put their candidates on governor?s position.
This was announced on Monday by a head of federation and regional politics committee Viktor Grishin. Earlier on Friday an official, assistant of president administration Vladislav Surkov said that document is ready and explained its main points to journalists. He is in charge of Kremlin politics in relationships with Russian subjects and in political parties work, therefore an approved bill is under his influence. The most important in Surkov?s statement were his words that "it is unlikely that president would ignore these suggestions".
President bill is in fact modification of two current laws "About political parties" and "About authority?s differentiation between representative and executive powers". The delegates plan to examine the bill rapidly and on priority basis. Considering the way this document came into parliament we can say for sure that it will be accepted on three parliament readings during several weeks.
The revolution of suggestion lies not in its judicial power but in political meaning. From one side power just "lets" parties to suggest candidates but doesn?t give any obligations to take those suggestions into account. President plenipotentiary in federal regions still have a right to determine a candidate and a final decision of candidate appointment still belongs to the head of government. From another side it is evident that suggested from parties politicians will became in most cases governors of Russian Federation subjects. And rejection of their candidature will be a rare exception which will demand strong political explanation.
In fact it is a matter of gradual "return" of a right to elect regional leader to electors. Nobody forbids to determine suggestions of candidate before elections and to present him to society. It is logically that a figure of governor candidate must be the main point of election campaign of each political union. Therefore voting for party electors choose it leader. And Kremlin still has a right of "veto" on national choice.
The denial of governor elections still remains the most disputable moment of "power vertical" reform which was suggested by V. Putin on September 2004 after terrorist action in Beslan. There were a lot of complaints on Kremlin?s oppression of democracy. Assignment of regional heads was used as a main evidence of power monopolization by ruling elite. No it becomes evident that it is a question of gradual transfer from on model of power organization to another which is more rational but not less democratic.