Katerina Tertytchnaya1; 1 University College London, UK
Discussion
This paper explores the impact of the Russian Duma election on public support for the authorities. Using evidence from opinion surveys fielded before and after the election, we ask whether information about the performance of the dominant party encourages some groups to update their support for the President. The paper also investigates to what extent changes in public opinion are sincere, corresponding with individuals’ privately held beliefs. Answers to questions about the ‘signalling’ role of elections and the malleability of support for the authorities have important implications for research on the origins of incumbent approval and dramatic defection cascades in nondemocracies.
