POLITICAL GEOGRAPHIES AND CLEAVAGES IN THE RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Spatial-structural regression models are fitted for the votes of the L iberal Democratic Party of Russia and for the combined vote of the Com munist Party of Russia and the Agrarian Party in the parliamentary ele ctions of 1993 and 1995. Analysis of the regression-model results indi cates that sets of explanatory socioeconomic variables, as well as the ir relative importance in explanation of the anti-reform vote, vary wi dely across the country. More specifically, the paper documents an eme rging European/Asian dichotomization of Russia's electoral geography, and assesses the increasingly important role of region in the democrat ization process as the spatial impress of the economic transformation of the country becomes more evident.