The following seemingly shocking commentary appeared four weeks after the 1999 election to the Russian parliament, the State Duma, in one of the country's leading elite periodicals. Yet, what it was saying by then had become the conventional wisdom and could hardly surprise any readers. The newspaper recounted the story of one of the main contestants of the 1999 election the following way:

The fate of Fatherland-All Russia (OVR) which was, indeed, an unquestionable front-runner as late as three months prior to the election is but one example of the sharp turns that the fortunes of parties and political personalities are known to take in Russia. With more than ten years of experience in electoral politics, however, should we not expect more predictability and continuity in the political system? Or is there a good explanation for the persistent alterations of the political landscape and the unpredictable party realignments?

The answer to the puzzle lies in adjusting our perception of the objectives of the players behind parties. I suggest that the conduct of the parliamentary campaign and the process of elite endorsement of the major contestants were driven by a complex mix of goals in which subsequent access to the presidency was a weighty component.