THE DEPUTIES KEEP THEIR NERVE–AND CHERNOMYRDIN IS EXCHANGED FOR PRIMAKOV

By Elena Dikun

Gambling on a change of government against a background of economic crisis, the Kremlin was certain that, after putting up some resistance for the sake of appearances, the Duma would confirm Viktor Chernomyrdin as prime minister. The deputies’ united front against him came as a great surprise to everybody–not least to Chernomyrdin himself. After all, he had secured the support of all the leaders of the Left opposition even before Kirienko’s government was dismissed. So why did the legislators suddenly reject him and force the president to swap the political heavyweight Chernomyrdin for the skilled diplomat Primakov?

THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT FALLS AHEAD OF TIME