The 2019 regional election cycle in Russia has proven to be one of the most intense and potentially pivotal moments in the last decade. In Moscow, the exclusion of opposition candidates sparked citywide protests at a level unseen since 2011. In St. Petersburg, the Kremlin exerted pressure to ensure the election of the city’s acting governor, Alexander Beglov, despite his unpopularity. Three of Russia’s leading political commentators, Valeriy Solovey, Ella Paneyakh, and Mikhail Vinogradov will discuss the results and implications of the September 8 election.
