This paper examines the electoral performance of Russia’s hegemonic party, United Russia. Where existing accounts of hegemonic party performance focus on regime leaders, the party leadership, opposition forces, or society as the main actors, the explanation offered here focuses on regional...

The Russian political party system has developed through a tumultuous era, progressing from extreme fragmentation to a smaller, more stable number of parties. Much of this change was engineered by elites and especially by President Putin, leading to the question of whether the result is a normal...