“A kind of James Bond”. Who is the man trying to become the deck between the Kremlin and the pro-Ruse parties in Europe

For 30 years, the Russian Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) -which is neither liberal nor democrat -has been identified with its vocal founder, Vladimir Jirinovski. An aggressive ultranationalist, Jirinovski expressed his expansionist visions and demonized the West long before this becomes a norm in Russian politics, recalls the Meduza.

Now, three years after his death, Leonid Sluțki, Jirinovski's successor, wants to create a new image for LDPR as a “diplomacy party”, reports the Meduza investigation site, citing sources that are aware of these discussions.

“In theory, the initiative could help both the Russian government collaborate more closely with the right -wing parties abroad, as well as to increase the popularity of LDPR in Russia,” writes Meduza.

The Kremlin takes into account the change of the image of the Russian Liberal Democratic Party, as an extremely right, as a “party of diplomacy”. The proposal came from Sluțki, the president of the LDPR, who is also the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the State Duma, the lower Chamber of the Russian Parliament.

If it will be accepted by Sergei Kirienko, the head of Putin's Kremlin political team, LDPR could take on a new role: building connections with extreme right-wing political forces or pro-Russian parties from former Soviet republics.

“It is easier to collaborate with LDPR” than with Putin's party

The idea comes from the recent involvement of Kirienko in the supervision of elections in the unrecognized Republic, on behalf of the Kremlin. Since then, his surveillance area has expanded and includes activities in South Ossetia, the other separatist region of Georgia, Armenia and several African countries, including Ciad, Mali and the Central Frician Republic.

According to sources from LDPR, Kremlin and a political consultant who collaborates with the Moscow Presidential Administration, Sluțki is eager to “get involved in such things”.

A LDPR member confirmed that Putin's political team takes the idea of ​​using the party as a vehicle for the Kremlin foreign policy.

“For some political forces [din străinătate]it is easier to collaborate through the LDPR than with the united Russia ”, explained the source, referring to Vladimir Putin's party.

“The united Russia is the ruling party – the collaboration with it means, practically, collaboration with the Russian state. Not all (foreign parties), even those friendly towards Russia, are willing to take such a risk. LDPR, on the other hand, is officially part of the systemic opposition. There are also parties abroad that are considered marginal. They.

In Russia, the “systemic” opposition, the only one that is still admitted by the Kremlin on the political scene, is made up of political formations that are not part of Putin's governing alliance, but which is aligned with the objectives of the Presidential Administration.

The source also mentioned that Sluțki already has experience in coordinating the visits of some pro-Russian politicians. “Such an arrangement has been tested, only not on a large scale,” the LDPR member told the jellyfish.

A “Party of Diplomacy” in Russia

A source from Kremlin told the investigative site that the political block of Putin's administration has indeed to discuss the attribution of a diplomatic function of the LDPR, but that the initiative is currently led by Sluțki and its allies. According to this source, the new role could help the party restore its image in front of voters.

Sluțki was one of Putin's cardboard candidates in the presidential elections organized by Russia last year, won by the Kremlin leader with over 88% of the votes. Although the difference between the rest of the candidates was small, Sluțki – with 3.24% of the votes – placed on the last place.

“They (LDPR leadership) try to figure out how to position itself-what the attractive party should do. For now, I still live from the long-term inheritance (of Vladimir Jirinovski). But when this image will be forgotten, they will have to answer the question” Why should I vote? ” To say, I am the “reserve party” is not enough. But this – to be a “diplomacy party” – it would be something, “said the source from Kremlin for Meduza.

For the moment, Kremlin's political strategies do not seem to have a clear idea of ​​what this diplomatic role would mean. “Obviously, people like Kirienko or (Alexandr) Haricev (no – the head of the Kremlin's sociology department) will not go personally in Armenia or Africa. That work will return to the political consultants. Perhaps Sluțki will appear to some public meetings to create a formal contact point.”

Leonid Sluțki has vocal critics including in his party

However, not everyone in LDPR is convinced that the plan will advance.

“For several years, the party leaders and political consultants have discussed the transformation of Sluțki in a kind of James Bond figure-a high-ranking diplomat, to intermediate things,” another LDPR member told Meduza.

“The plan was to use its low public profile to their advantage. The narrative would have been:” He is always in a critical mission, he cannot give details, he saves Russia on an invisible front. ” For some reason, his close circle believed that he gave the impression of special importance, especially when he said nothing. But the idea did not catch at the time. Maybe they will try again now, “he added.

According to the same member of the party, the Kremlin could now use Sluțki to manage the connection with “the same marginal political actors he previously invited to observe the Russian elections.”

A political strategist working with the Putin administration said that the Kremlin political schedules might need “a man with money for projects abroad” – and here could Sluțki. Instead, the party leader would be allowed to “appear on travel abroad.”

“However, he will not be given too much freedom. If Kirienko personally supervises an area, then Sluțki has nothing to do there, he is not his land. Even in a minor role, (those in the LDPR) will have to walk with caution,” the consultant added.

A member of the LDPR, critic to Sluțki, predicts that, even if the party will take over a diplomatic role, this will not translate through electoral gains and will not propel them to the “second party” of the country.

“It will probably be that when the Kremlin promised Sluțki the second place in the presidential elections of 2024,” says the source. “He had pretty good figures before the campaign. But then he appeared in public – and everything collapsed. He is just not a politician. That's all,” added Sluțki's critic from LDPR.