"De-Federalisation" vs. democratisation: the politicisation of federal reforms in Russia

Abstract

Which type of federalism can best be combined with what form of democratic system remains a puzzle in both democratisation and federalism literature. The Russian case illustrates in multiple ways that federalism does not work if democratic structures on the national and regional level are dysfunctional. The aim of this article is two-fold: first, it aims to delineate how federal reforms in Russia during the last decade have led, through politicisation, to a process of de-federalisation rather than to the construction of a strong federal system in the country. Second, by means of analysing selected federal reforms, the question will be explored whether the process of de-federalisation has correlated with, if not contributed to, the dismantling of democratic elements in the country. In sum, this article seeks to make a case for the continued combination of federalism and democracy studies in order to advance theory-building in the application to specific regional contexts.