Open Arms, Not Open Minds

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday co-opted leaders of the country’s parliamentary opposition into the State Council, as opposition figures continue calling for protests and the government fears further political instability. Kremlin spin-doctors are touting the move – Putin’s first political gesture toward systemic opposition since returning to the Kremlin in May – as a way to improve relations with the parliamentary opposition parties, many of which have been dissatisfied with some of the Kremlin's initiatives. But other analysts see the move as part of the Kremlin’s canny maneuver to co-opt Russian political actors and politically neutralize them ahead of the regional and mayoral elections in October.