Putin: from head of state to head of government

Former Russian President Vladimir Putin is now Prime Minister of Russia. Cristian Campeanu comments: "Russian politics will continue on the same familiar course as before - Putinism. We must expect a consolidation of the authoritarian regime in domestic policy. ... A second element of Putinism is 'state capitalism', the form of quasi-fascist corporatism in which the majority of Russian companies belong to the state and are led by high-ranking government functionaries according to capitalist principles. These companies, which command huge financial resources, are not only needed for maximising profits but also for advancing Moscow's political interests. Gazprom, one of the largest companies in the world, is a fitting example. ... Today governments like Italy, Germany and Austria work according to the principle: if we cannot beat the Russians, we are better off doing business with them. The capitalism of the Russian state has many converts in Western Europe who have grown tired of liberal capitalism, and there is also an increasing number of those who support the theory that we should adapt to Moscow."

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