On December 7, 2003, Russians go to the ballot box to elect representatives to the Duma, the lower house of their national parliament. Although such elections have become an established part of Russian political life, they take place this year in a climate of growing fear about President Vladimir Putin’s commitment to democratic principles. In addition to attacks on billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the YUKOS oil company, Russia’s two liberal political parties--Yabloko and the Union of Rightist Forces-may not survive into the next session of the Duma.

What clues will the election provide about the future of civil society in Russia? How will the fourth Duma fit into President Putin’s "managed democracy" paradigm? What will be the impact of the new Duma composition on liberal economic reforms? What are its implications for foreign investment and the Russian economy? Has the YUKOS affair reshaped the Russian political landscape?

A panel of Russia experts will discuss the results of the Duma election. Participants will include Harley Balzer, associate professor of government and international affairs at Georgetown University; Nicolai Petro, professor of political science at the University of Rhode Island; Angela Stent, director of the Center for Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies at Georgetown University; and Nikolai Zlobin, director for Russian and Asian programs at the Center for Defense Information.