In every Russian election since Gorbachev’s time, observers have expressed concern that electoral campaigns will exacerbate inter-ethnic relations in the country. Usually, that has not happened; but this time around, Russia’s major parties are contributing to that by taking ever radical anti-immigrant positions.

Alena Itskova, a journalist for Novaya Gazeta Europe, traces this development, one likely reflecting the experience of candidates who find that attacking immigrants and demanding their expulsion is a winning issue in Russia today........

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