How Increased Competition Can Strengthen Electoral Authoritarianism: Party-System Pluralization in Russia

Abstract

Opposition and electoral competition are intrinsic features of electoral authoritarian regimes, but also constitute threats or potential threats which must be contained. A major focus of the literature has been to delineate the ways in which authoritarian polities control and manipulate competition, so that it serves the regime rather than challenging it. Far less attention has been paid to the ways in which authoritarian regimes benefit from encouraging greater competition and opposition. Several reforms were introduced in Russia, following the 2011 Duma election, which open the party system to more electoral opposition and competition. This article analyzes the impact of these reforms on the party system in Russia, with a particular concern for the ways in which increased competition can strengthen electoral authoritarianism.