Russia's Political Future

Russia's upcoming presidential election, on June 16, will largely be a referendum on President Boris N. Yeltsin's program of economic and political reforms. In the five years since the Soviet Union collapsed, the bumpy transition from a state-controlled to a market economy has benefited relatively few Russians, leaving the vast majority of the population either no better off or even less prosperous than they were under communism. Yeltsin's main challenger, Communist Party leader Gennadi A. Zyuganov, is appealing to the nostalgia and resentment of Russia's weary electorate by promising to restore the Soviet empire - and communism - as well as to reimpose state control over large industries. Yeltsin, meanwhile, has been backtracking on his reform program, casting doubts on his commitment to democratic change.