Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned the political elite that the ruling party's grip on power is damaging Russian political life and that the country is falling into stagnation due to the lack of real
political competition. The Russian word 'zastoy' ('stagnation') is often used by historians
to describe the political drift in the Kremlin during the latter years of Leonid Brezhnev's leadership (1964-1982), when Moscow's status as a superpower began to wane.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned the political elite that the ruling party's grip on power is damaging Russian political life and that the country is falling into stagnation due to the lack of real
political competition, AFP reports.
"At a certain point, our political life started showing symptoms of stagnation," Medvedev said in his video blog. "And this stagnation is equally dangerous for both the ruling party and the opposition
forces."
The Russian word 'zastoy' ('stagnation') is often used by historians to describe the political drift in the Kremlin during the latter years of Leonid Brezhnev's leadership (1964-1982), when Moscow's status as a superpower began to wane.
"If the opposition does not stand the slightest chance of winning fair elections, it degrades and becomes marginalised," Medvedev warned. "If the ruling party has no chance of ever losing anywhere, it eventually 'bronzes over' and also degrades, just like any other living organism that does not move."
Russian media report that Medvedev will address his message to a meeting on Wednesday with the heads of the country's largest political parties -- including the ruling United Russia group.
The Russian leader -- seen as more liberal than his predecessor and current prime minister Vladimir Putin -- has positioned himself in the run-up to the election campaign as a modernizing force for Russia.
Mr Medvedev has said little in public about whether he will run for a second term once this one expires in 2012. That election can potentially also be contested by Putin.
Medvedev delivered his strongest criticism against the ruling United Russia party that first formed around the Putin presidency a decade ago and has not given up the reins of power since.
"We must raise the level of political competition," said Medvedev.
He noted that United Russia has dominated the air time awarded by both the federal and regional television stations and gained other unfair advantages during recent election campaigns -- the same charge voiced repeatedly by the opposition.
The opposition -- which has been all-but-excluded from both houses of Russia's parliament and has only a marginal representation in the regional legislatures -- has frequently complained of being denied access to air time.
