Throughout the formerly communist world a single party monopoly has been replaced by multi-party politics and competitive elections. Drawing on the most recent work of the leading specialists in modern Russian politics, this path-breaking volume marks a decisive advance in our understanding of the relationships between voters, political parties and the conduct of the government in what is still the world's largest country.Issues addressed include:





the effects of the electoral system and of electoral campaigns
regional dimensions of party support
parties in the state Duma and the uncertain evolution of a post-communist party system<
the turnout of voters for elections
leader popularity and party development
ideological divisions and party-building
the divisions between the left and right

Written in a clear, accessible style, this book links developments in Russia to general themes in political science, and especially to other post-communist countries. It will be welcomed by scholars and students of the development and transformation of post-communist politics, and by a wider readership in comparative politics.