Even though the Russians know that the elections are rigged, they desperately want to keep up the appearance that their country is the best and most democratic, and not at all an evil empire ruled by a crazy dictator. That is why they care so much about keeping up the election show.

Also, the dominant mafia group that runs Russia uses elections to prove to other competing mafia groups that they are still the strongest, able to manipulate millions of people without any protest.

[–] petrescatraian@libranet.de 2 points 1 year ago

@Ulara well, we had elections under communism as well, yet we were still a repressive dictatorship. At this point, elections seem to be just a way for dictators to justify their power somehow.