[Video] Arab Spring, Russian Winter?

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/kremlin.jpg” caption=”Tension is growing in Russian cities such as Moscow, where protests against the results of last weekend’s elections – which are seen as having been rigged – are scheduled for this weekend. Photo by Julmin (Wikimedia Commons). “]With widespread protest expected in some of Russia's largest cities this weekend,
McMaster Professor John Colarusso says outrage over last weekend's election is far from
subsiding.

“A large portion of the Russian population is unhappy,” says Colarusso, a political and
linguistics expert who has advised policymakers in Washington and Moscow
throughout his career. “There's a great deal of unrest everywhere, and I think we're
seeing a Russian version of this.”

The growing dissent stems from the country's most recent parliamentary election – the
outcome of which has been mired in rumours of fraud.

Led by incumbent Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the United Russia party was expected
to land 30 per cent of the vote, says Colarusso. But returns of nearly 50 per cent have
raised the ire of world leaders past and present.

Former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev wants to see a recall, while current
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is pushing for a full investigation.

Swift action from Putin would be “prudent,” says Colarusso, and necessary toward
restoring Russia's credibility on the global stage.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been one of the most outspoken critics in
recent days, publicly stating the outcome was unfair.

Putin responded on Thursday, saying Clinton “set the tone” for civil unrest in Russia
through some of her comments.

Colarusso says it's an easy tactic for the Russian leader to place the blame elsewhere,
but doesn't excuse Clinton's actions, either. In the interest of strengthening relations
between the U.S. and Russia, he says Clinton's criticism of the election should have been
expressed privately.

Tens of thousands of protestors took to the streets in major Russian cities this weekend to challenge the
election results, while hundreds more have already been arrested. Many have adopted a
white ribbon as a symbol of unity.

“Grassroots activism is all part of the emergence of political life in Russia,” says
Colarusso. “Compared to decades of autocratic rule, the notion of a free and fair
election is still a novel idea for many citizens.”

Touching on the Arab Spring movement that toppled three governments in northern
Africa this year, Colarusso says the latest wave of protest may be part of a larger global
movement still gathering steam.

“I think this has started in the Arab world, where perhaps repression and tyranny was
more deeply entrenched or more intense,” he says. “But it's spreading. We've seen sit-
ins in North America and Europe, and riots in England back in the summer.”

He added that relations between the U.S. and Russia will continue to suffer if electoral
reforms are not put in place.