NCSJ - 03.13.2008

Medvedev and the Jews

By Ben Sack, Program Assistant

On March 2, Russia elected its new President, Dmitry Medvedev, with over 70 percent of the vote. Dmitry Medvedev is currently First Deputy Prime Minister, and a confidant of President Vladimir Putin. Putin endorsed Medvedev as his preferred successor several months ago, and since then, there was been little doubt about the election’s outcome.

Most election observers saw the process as faulty at best. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe stated that the election’s “democratic potential was unfortunately not tapped.” A representative from the Voter’s Inter-regional Public Association said, “Russia’s new political system, born in 1989, is now in a state of degradation and has been thrown back to Soviet times. We’ve now come to a point whereby it’s not election commissions that prepare and hold elections but the executive power, as it used to be the Communist Party in Soviet times.” The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), one of the leading organizations monitoring elections in the region, did not send observers citing “severe restrictions that the Russian authorities planned to place on its work.”

Despite these criticisms, Medvedev will still be the one to assume office once Putin finishes his current term. There are many questions circulating about what this new presidency will bring: Will Medvedev be more liberal and open to the West? What type of power-sharing arrangement will he have with Putin? What will his policies be toward the rest of the former Soviet republics?

One of the things we do know is that he has a positive relationship with the Jewish community and the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Berel Lazar.

Medvedev has paid several visits to the Jewish community in Russia. On December 11, 2007, Medvedev joined the Chabad JCC in Moscow to celebrate Hanukah. At this event, Medvedev made several strong comments relating to anti-Semitism in Russia. Regarding extremism and xenophobia Medvedev said, “These phenomena exist; we must not close our eyes to them. It is the state’s role to clearly and rigidly fight these manifestations.”

Rabbi Lazar has also very vocally supported Medvedev and his policy plans. Upon the announcement of Medvedev’s victory, the Rabbi said, “For me, as a representative of one of Russia’s traditional religions, particularly important was and is Medvedev’s commitment to ensure inter-ethnic and inter-religious peace in the country, the free and dynamic development of religious communities and to stimulate spiritual growth within our society.”

Medvedev officially assumes office on May 7. Until that time, speculation about where Medvedev will lead Russia will continue.

We will keep you informed of any new developments related to this issue. For more information on President-Elect Medvedev and the rest of the former Soviet Union, please visit our web site www.ncsj.org.