Manipulation of a quasi-democratic system has been the key to Putin’s power but challenges remain

This weekend, Russia is to hold parliamentary elections in what is being described as a litmus test for the strength of the regime of Vladimir Putin and a referendum on his ability to run for a fourth, arguably fifth, term–he was twice elected president, then chosen as PM before again becoming president—in less than two years.…

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called on the EU and the world’s biggest economies not to recognize Russia’s upcoming parliamentary elections, which treat Crimea as Russian territory. This month Russians will elect 450 lawmakers to parliament, for the first time since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. The U.N. does not recognize the Russian government in…