Loyal technocrats preferred in Russian regional polls

Significance

Putin's visits were conducted as inspections and he has handed many incumbent governors lists of residents' complaints. The regional elections will shed light on two trends likely to shape Putin's next presidential term: a preference for technocrats over professional politicians and the growing irrelevance of the United Russia party to the Kremlin's management of regional leaders.

Impacts

• Putin's tone, variously supportive and reproachful, hints at which governors he favours; in the main, the interim appointees should win.
• Governors in other regions may be dismissed and replaced with interim heads ahead of next year's annual round of elections.
• The higher the recorded turnout in regional elections, the higher the vote share awarded to United Russia candidates is likely to be.