In March and June 2017 protesters took to the streets of several dozen Russian cities. Russia has recently been the subject of lively discussion in political circles and the media for the most part because of its aggressive international politics and alleged meddling in the US elections.
The recent demonstrations have forced analysts and journalists to look at the country from yet another perspective. Many have noticed a generational change in the demonstrations. Led by Alexei Navalny, the most recognizable opposition leader in Russia, young Russians took to the streets to protest corruption and demand change.
However, the young people who decided to take part in the protests in March and June and others who showed their support for the protesters constitute only a very small fraction of young Russians. Opinion research indicates that the current regime in Russia has strong support among people ages aged 25 and younger, much stronger than among the older generations.
This does not mean, however, that Navalny’s fight for the young is hopeless. It once again turns out that youth is unpredictable, and that in the case of Russia, a very thin line divides the support for Putin’s administration, on one hand, and the desire for deep changes and new political opening on the other.
Łukasz Wenerski, analyst with the Warsaw-based think tank Institute for Public Affairs, analyses the “protest potential” of young Russians. The policy brief is published within the framework of the cooperation project “Young Leaders for Europe” of Bertelsmann Stiftung and Heinz Nixdorf Stiftung.
