"Humiliation of the region"

Too independent governor of the Irkutsk region, ahead of schedule on the eve of the election: what experts say

On the evening of December 12, President Vladimir Putin accepted the resignations of two governors from the eastern regions of Russia - Alexander Levintaly (Jewish Autonomous Region) and Sergey Levchenko (Irkutsk region). If the Levintal is a typical protege of United Russia and the appointment of the center, then Levchenko for several years was the only governor of the Communist Party and one of the few regional politicians who claimed independence. The acting governor of the Irkutsk region was appointed former deputy head of the Ministry of Emergencies Igor Kobzev. The next elections in the region will take place on a single voting day in 2020 - representatives of the Communist Party have already stated that Levchenko could again participate in them from the party. However, experts surveyed by the "new" claim that this is excluded.

Alexander Kynev

Political scientist

- The main reason for the resignation of Levchenko is that he is a stranger for the presidential administration, represents an opposition party and dared to win with the candidate of the Kremlin in 2015. All subsequent years, a constant information war was waged with him, tried, as far as possible, to interfere with the work of the regional administration.

In my opinion, completely undeservedly. I believe that there are no objective reasons for resignation. Levchenko is no worse than the average Russian governor and no worse than the governors of the Irkutsk region who were before him.

That is, the main reason is political expediency.

Since he is a stranger for the Kremlin and “United Russia”, there is a desire for groups of the federal elite simply to shove in the posts of the people they need. This is a humiliation of the region, it is a spit in the face of residents of the Irkutsk region.

Now he resigned, because they want Levchenko to not go to the planned elections of the governor, which should have passed next year. According to the law, since he resigned, the elections will be formally early. According to the law in early elections, which are assigned due to his resignation, the governor cannot take part. ”

Levintaly is not sorry at all. It was one of the most unsuccessful governors, in my opinion. That is, by and large, there are absolutely no achievements in the region during its work. He could not even assemble a stable team, his deputies changed at a frantic speed. People did not hold on: they came, worked for several months, and “dumped” from there.

Fedor Krasheninnikov

Political scientist

- The resignation of Levchenko did not become a surprise for anyone. It seems to me that this is preparing for the elected period. The Kremlin obviously wants to get rid of all governors who are not from his anthill. Levchenko is still a communist, not everyone came to the court. I think it will be removed and elections will be held in which the next United Russia will win.

There were claims to Levintal as the governor. His resignation was held in the framework of strengthening the positions of power in the regions. Those governors who irritate power, like Levchenko, or simply cannot cope with the situation, try to remove them and replace them with someone more loyal. Each governor still has a period at the beginning, when the population expects something good from him and ceases to be angry. Elections are always an opportunity for the authorities to get money from Moscow.

That is, the new governor in the region, the whole epic with his appointment, elections is the opportunity to occupy the population in the twentieth year than to distract him so that the people come to the State Duma elections with the best mood than now. Although in two years the new governor can become even more disgusting than the old one.