Deliberately or intuitively - or, most probably, both, Mr. Putin has grown to personify and symbolize to millions of Russians a balance, still flimsy for now, between the old ways and the new opportunities, Mr. Aaron said to a roundtable convened in Washington, D.C., today to sum up the Russian election.
The Russian poll demonstrated broad-based public support for a stronger state, a more efficient government, closer compliance with the law, and greater protection for the weak, remarked Leon Aaron. He tracks down President Putin's unprecedented popularity to that spectacular change of the public mood, which has found the form of a new national consensus.
Vladimir Putin scored 71.2 per cent of votes in the presidential election of March 14.
