THREAD 1/9 Because Putin’s new choice for prime minister, Mikhail #Mishustin, is relatively unknown, comparisons are being made with two previous faceless and now half-forgotten prime ministers: Mikhail Fradkov (2004-07) and Viktor Zubkov (07-08). But there’s a key difference.
2/9 Fradkov and Zubkov were Putin’s age or older, so could never represent a post-Putin future. Mishustin is 12 years younger than Putin, and belongs to the generation of young technocrats: young enough to serve two six-year presidential terms.
3/9 He’s not a friend of Putin’s or a member of his inner circle. He’s not connected to Putin’s Petersburg pals, the Ozero dacha collective, the security services, or Putin’s past in the Petersburg mayor’s office or counter-intelligence.
4/9 It seems that Putin encountered Mishustin through his work, and was impressed by his performance, though they do also play hockey together. Mishustin’s work record is indeed very interesting: as head of the tax service, he raised both taxes and their collection.
5/9 The tax service is no longer among the most corrupt bodies in the country. Going to the tax office in Russia used to be a very unpleasant & degrading experience. Now in big towns it’s like going to a private bank, with electronic lines, polite inspectors & sparkling hallways.
6/9 The online tax service is one of the most successful and convenient in the Russian digital space. Mishustin, whose background is in IT, is a firm adept of digital solutions, and makes a point of ensuring that the tax service remains one of the most high-tech bodies.
7/9 Russia is run by a coalition of the security services and economists, and Mishustin belongs to both of these worlds, which probably appeals to Putin. The tax service is to some extent a security agency, while Mishustin has a PhD in economics and has worked in business.
8/9 His digital proficiency may also impress Putin, who is himself not known for being tech-savvy, but considers digital technology important in order not to fall behind the rest of the world, as the Soviet Union did (and paid dearly).
Mishustin's relative obscurity shouldn’t fool anyone: Putin was also a little-known official until Yeltsin promoted him to 3 senior posts, one after the other, to everyone’s great surprise.
10/10 Putin is focusing on how to preserve his legacy while handing over power, avoiding the Russian tradition of a drastic revision of everything he has done over 20 years. For this, he’s looking for another Putin: a sophisticated security services man in civilian clothing.
