Gently Protesting Putin

By Nathan Thornburgh

The landslide Dec. 2 victory posted by President Vladimir Putin's United Russia Party set off a small chorus of Western criticism. Germany's spokesman said the process was "neither free, fair nor democratic." The U.S. called for any irregularities to be investigated. But by waiting until election day to draw attention to scattered reports of ballot-stuffing or voter intimidation, the West came across a bit like Captain Renault in Casablanca: suddenly it was shocked--shocked!--to find electoral shenanigans in Russia.

The election was, after all, just the latest stage of a process by which Russia's President, who is due to leave office next year (though he has suggested that he will continue to be a "national leader" of some sort), has consolidated power. The West could have seen it coming at any time from 2001, when Putin began a state takeover of the national television news, to more recently, when he tightened rules about how parties can win seats in parliament. But whatever implausible returns there were--like the 99% turnout with a 99% vote for Putin's party in war-torn Chechnya--Putin won because he is, undeniably, deeply popular.

The West won't complain too loudly or for too long about the elections. Russia's natural gas is still vital to Europe. The U.S. still hopes Putin can be a better partner on matters like sanctions against Iran. So expect the criticisms of the day to fade, paving the way for Putin and the West to continue talks about energy, trade, international diplomacy. Whatever the state of its internal politics, Russia, these days, is too important to leave out in the cold.