The Kremlin was so involved in regards to the upcoming elections, he mentioned, that it engineered a crackdown this 12 months not simply on his group and different activists however on reasonable opposition politicians, civil society teams and impartial information media retailers like Meduza, Proekt and Dozhd tv.
Mr. Navalny recommended that whereas the crackdown could show to be a tactical success for Mr. Putin, it could even be a long-term legal responsibility.
“Putin solved his tactical query: not permitting us to remove the bulk within the Duma,” Mr. Navalny mentioned, talking of the Russian Parliament’s decrease home. “On this approach, he extremely appraised the potential of ‘sensible voting.’ However to realize this, he needed to utterly change the political system, to shift to a principally completely different, far harsher degree of authoritarianism.”
Long run, Mr. Navalny mentioned, the repression carries dangers as Mr. Putin makes enemies of native and regional leaders “who have been thrown out of the political system along with us.”
Mr. Navalny recommended the transfer underscored a principal weak point of Mr. Putin’s political system. Whereas leftists and nationalists are represented by events loyal to Mr. Putin, there isn’t a secure, pro-Kremlin center-right celebration representing the nation’s rising center class of comparatively affluent, city-dwelling Russians.
“Opposition exists in Russia not as a result of Aleksei Navalny or someone else instructions it from a headquarters,” Mr. Navalny mentioned, “however as a result of about 30 % of the nation — largely the educated, city inhabitants — doesn’t have political illustration.”
When what he known as the reactionary anomaly of Mr. Putin’s rule fades, Russia will revert to democratic governance, Mr. Navalny mentioned. “We’re particular, like several nation, however we’re Europe. We’re the West.”
Julian E. Barnes contributed reporting from Washington.