From Russia & India Report: Could Pussy Riot have long-term effects for Russia?

http://indrus.in/articles/2012/09/18/could_pussy_riot_have_long-term_effects_for_russia_17731.html

Could Pussy Riot have long-term effects for Russia?

September 18, 2012
Konstantin von Eggert, specially for RIR

More than a month after the Moscow court handed down a two-year prison sentence to three members of the Pussy Riot punk group, the full impact of the trial is still emerging.

"It all started as a provocative but harmless performance—albeit offensive to many--in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior. They soon became media superstars and icons for the Russian opposition. But the trial also split Russian society, damaged the reputation of the Russian Orthodox Church and put the Kremlin in the hotseat of international scorn.

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Yet the trial also put the Russian opposition in a difficult situation. At a crucial moment when it needs to work hard to form a nationwide network of supporters and participate in regional elections, it was saddled with a controversial image. The politically astute populations of Moscow and Saint Petersburg can differentiate between Pussy Riot support and wider opposition goals. However in provincial Russia, the Kremlin will have an easier time convincing the voters that the protest movement is made up of radicals and freaks.

Finally, society itself is clearly split. The minority that wants political change is small but vocal. The majority (also referred to as the Putin majority) prefers the status quo, is politically passive and lacks initiative. This divide will only deepen in the coming years."