And this year’s vote, says David Szakonyi, an expert on Russia and election fraud who is professor at George Washington University, is “occurring in the most repressive political environment in Russia’s post-Soviet history.”
Here’s what experts have to say about how the Kremlin ensures elections result in its desired outcome—and why it continues to hold them.
Restricting opposition
The Kremlin uses multiple levers to influence elections on the government level, at the polls, and in daily civilian life, according to Szakonyi.
“Without a doubt, the most powerful tool” in the Kremlin’s arsenal, Szakonyi says, is limiting which candidates appear on…
Read the full article at TIME.COM
