The kremlin Has Completely Destroyed Local Self-Government

In russia, the remnants of local self-government continue to be dismantled. The khabarovsk city duma has cancelled direct mayoral elections: from now on, the mayor will be elected by deputies upon the governor’s recommendation. In fact, the residents of khabarovsk have been deprived of the right to decide for themselves who will lead their city.

Currently, among the administrative centers of russian regions, direct mayoral elections remain only in abakan and anadyr. In the past, residents of most regional capitals could elect their own mayors, but over the years the kremlin has been systematically dismantling these mechanisms, concentrating power in the hands of officials appointed by or controlled by the leadership.

Instead of expanding citizens’ rights, the kremlin is amending legislation to fit an autocratic model of governance in which decisions depend solely on the kremlin. When the rules of “elections” are changed in such a way that people lose the right to directly elect the executive branch, one can conclude that democracy has been destroyed within the rf.

At the same time, in st. petersburg, the number of designated areas for meetings, demonstrations, and pickets is being reduced from eight to two. Additional requirements will also be introduced for holding such events, including the installation of stages, metal detectors, and video surveillance systems. Local authorities justify their actions on the grounds of organizational and security concerns; however, against the backdground of a general tightening of control, this is a mechanism for eliminating the space for public protest.

Such decisions reflect a general trend toward increased state control in russia. In just a few years, russians have lost the ability to directly elect local officials and the space to publicly express dissent.