by Vladimir Rozanskij

Russia's re-elected president is the most convinced advocate of "New Russia", as he strives to synthesize a new national identity for his country –one which is part communist and part czarist, half religious and half agnostic. It is an identity that is populist and at the same time liberal. His presidency marks the beginning of the Putin-generation.  

Moscow (AsiaNews) – With Vladimir Putin's reelection to the office of president, Russia finally completes its long journey of post-communism and 10 hard years of capitalistic reforms. The country now braces itself to enter the promised land of new life and opportunity, no longer guided by 19th century ideology or influenced by the effects of the Cold War of the 20th century (a product of the former). 

All this comes at a time in which presidential elections provoke "Stalinist-religious" type sentiments among Russia's citizen body, just like during the Soviet era when citizens would cast their votes in celebratory tribute to the dominant ruling power. Yet now, the tables are turned as citizens race to the polls to confirm the death and proper burial of communism.

Putin's party holds a near monopoly over all levels of government authority. His party and administration represent a bit of the old and the new: being communist, czarist, religious, agnostic, populist and liberal—all at the same time –as ancient Russia searches to become a new rising force in the world.    

The first three year's of Putin's administration in fact were dedicated to resolving one single issue: how to provide a happy solution to past contradictions, to rediscover a common understanding not of politics but of life itself in a disintegrated, weary and impoverished country. 

The country needed to first bury the carcasses of communism and disinfect itself of diseases caused by early forms of capitalism. This was like getting rid of a mid-season illness, with its short-term but violent effects on the body. Citizens needed to re-find their moral and spiritual dignity. They needed to burn incense in front of new national icon. Russia needed to rediscover its weak innocence before other world powers like the United States, Europe and Asia while reestablishing a safe distance from all of them. 

The transition is now complete, at least from a psychological perspective. Today, in reality, the country is relieved to cast all its national problem's upon Putin's broad shoulders. And it's no small coincidence that we hear the president's words transformed into kerugmatik expressions like "it all depends on me". Yet no one is sure if such words are coming from the mouth of an autocrat or from somone whining in solitude, or whether they stem from his corporate role in speaking for the entire nation. Perhaps, at least, he is speaking for Russians who want to follow him –those who have begun calling their era the "P" (or "Putin") generation. 

The end result is the constant chanting of Putin's political slogan: "Reform, reform!". Putin really wants to change everything: state structure, the economy, building codes and zoning, health care, education, property rights, taxes, the legal system, national defense and organization of police forces –all for a more efficient country and better served populace, yet one which is more controllable by the state and more open to free enterprise. One might say that he wants to stand the country completely on its head. Yet in the end what's important is not the content of his reform polices, but the almighty government Program itself. The latter contains not a list of priorities, but is a profession of faith: that is, one must reform in order to believe. But in what? In "New Russia"!   

Indeed the president himself is a genuine believer. When he goes to church, he does it seriously and not just to make an appearance before TV cameras. He exudes a certain intolerance for showing off, not like the pseudo-holiness typical of Russian politicians of the last decade or so. Orthodox faithful show much more admiration for Putin than they do for Christian-Taleban fanatics filling so many churches and monasteries in Russia today. Putin believes in himself. He believes in Russia. He believes God will help his country.

Putin is a missionary, a man of mission educated in the most rigorous school second only to the Jesuits: the KGB. And his Russia lives for a mission to save the world, while at the same time trying to save itself. Having finished now with changing Russia, Putin now must change Russians. All that is left to do is pray for him and his success.

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