BORIS YELTSIN'S heart problems mirror the general state of the Russian economy and society.
Russia also has a funda mentally unhealthy body (ponuc) on te brink Di col lapse. Yeltsin's popularity is so low that even should be full recaver after his testee gence from hospital last week he has no chance of being reelected President in next Given the new constitutional powers of the President. the politics of Yeltsin's successor is important. The odds of it being someone from Telsin's camp are sim: bul first Russia's liberals have to negotiate next month's elections to the State Duma Yeltsin's destruction of the old parliament provided an phant existature. out uniontu nately for bim the main victors in the December 1993 elections were Vladimir ZhirLiberal Democrats and the biggest fragment of the old Soviet Communist Party -Gennadii Zyuganov's Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF). Protest at Staggering towards disaster: Clinton can't prop up Yeltsin forever Since then, the main issue Yabloko ('apple') bloc. LibThe exclusion of Yatlok ment has been the war in nomic reform architect Egor Gaidar, have been appalled at Dom - Rossiya' (Our home Enc government nas sor Prime Minister Victor Chertions look set to deliver a State the powerful gas industry The liberal forces are fragParty is the arch rival of Grigorii Yavlinskii's Chernomyrdin, who has assumed some presidential responsibilities during Yelt. sin's illness, is the likely candidate for the Yeltsin camp for June.
Since 1993 Zhirinovskii's popularity has fallen and the CPRF lead opinion polls. With aroand 25 per cent they are almost certain to be the biggest party in the new Duma. Allied with the Agrarian Party, they will create a large bloc.
Meanwhile, the struggle for independent class politics is proving extremely difficult. Industrial action has been slowly mounting against ecoone cola use However the former official trade union federation. the FNPR, has entered into a questionable electoral alli. ance, called the Union of Labour, with the Industrial Party of enterprise directors. This tradition of management-unthe five per cent hurdle to gain ''Te Party ef laboec. y Boris Kagarlitsky and Alekof years ago, is now little Slighly acerbated by the December bed, a likely presidential canunions can Kovocaccon might be even bleaker than it •Rick Since is a member of the Labour Focus on Cartri Caoy colone Until 3 Dec 'RECYCLE Il' - a show of prints by Stuart J Bullen, the Greenhouse, The Drill Hall, 16 Chenies St. WC1 11am-830pm Mon-Sat; 1pm-5pm Sun; Mon eve women only. Thurs 9 MANCHESTER Socialist Outlook Forum on Bosnia 7.30pm Manchester Town Hall with speaker Geoff Ryan. Sat 18 SOCIALIST Campaign Group Supporters Network AGM, Manchester Town Hall. 10.30-4.30 Weds 22 Ending the Nightmare -BIRMINGHAM. Public launch of book in memory of comrade Bob Smith. Speakers Include Mary Pearson, Mohammed Irish (invited). 7.30pm at the Union Club, Pershore Sat 25 STOP HOSPITAL CLOSURES conference sponsored by London Health Emergency. Speakers include