title: Making Russia Great Again? Vladimir Putin’s Changing Sources of Legitimacy 2000–2024
abstract: This article analyses the changing sources of President Vladimir Putin’s legitimacy during his quarter century at the apex of power in Russia. To reveal the shifting underpinnings of Putin’s legitimacy, I examine the central themes of his five presidential election campaigns, from March 2000 to March 2024. Public opinion data is used to assess the relationship between these campaign themes and the priorities of Russian voters, as legitimacy rests on shared values between ruler and ruled. I argue
journal: Politics and Governance