Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev says Russia’s parliamentary elections scheduled for December won’t be fair, and he blasted “authoritarian” rule in Russia in a Wall Street Journal interview.
Mr. Gorbachev said Tuesday that he believed an authoritarian government was necessary to pull Russia together in 2000 when Vladimir Putin first came to power. At the time, he brushed off concerns from a French colleague that Mr. Putin would “make a habit” of such tactics.
Now, however, the Kremlin’s “habit” of authoritarianism is undeniable and “a very dangerous thing,” he said.
Now “we in Russia are forced to seriously struggle to strengthen democracy, ensure honest elections, the independence of the judiciary and many other things,” Mr. Gorbachev said.
The Kremlin denies charges that it rigs elections, and Mr. Putin rejects accusations of authoritarian methods, saying he is committed to democracy in Russia.
Mr. Putin’s United Russia party is virtually certain to win parliamentary elections in December, and Mr. Putin plans to return to the presidency in 2012 elections.
“The elections will not be fair,” Mr. Gorbachev says.
