In Russia’s current political cycle, which will culminate in the presidential election of March 2008, there will be no difficulty in meeting the main conditions of legitimacy: respecting the constitution’s rules about regular free elections to the presidency. Given Putin’s popularity, these rules present no threat to the ruling group’s power.
在俄罗斯目前这个以2008年3月的总统大选为目标的政治进程中，要达成合法的主要条件并不存在什么困难，即尊重宪法关于定期进行自由的总统选举的规定。鉴于普京的声望，这种规定对统治集团的权力不会构成任何威胁。投票人只须热情地选举任何受到普京恩赐的人选。