Vladimir Putin is poised to win a second term as president of the Russian Federation on March 14, albeit via an election that appears to be little more than a formality. A recent poll found that the incumbent holds 79 percent of the vote, while his nearest challenger barely registers at 4 percent. Yet despite the near certainty of a Putin victory, there is scant indication of the course he intends to set for Russia during his next four years in the Kremlin.

Will Putin leverage his popularity to advance further liberal economic reforms? Or will he apply his unprecedented power to increase the state’s control over the private sector and advance an authoritarian political project? Will Putin leave office after 2008, as the Russian constitution requires, or will he use the parliamentary majority to rewrite the law and remain in power beyond his second term?

Experts will convene on March 15, the day after the presidential election, to discuss the results and address questions about the future of Russian democracy.