Valdai Club

On September 15 at 3:00 pm Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will hold an online presentation of  a report, titled "Legitimacy and Political Leadership in a New Era".

The new political season kicks off amid the pandemic. COVID-19 has challenged established political practices and has become a catalyst for socio-political controversy in many countries around the world. The legitimacy of existing regimes is being tested for strength due to unpopular anti-crisis measures. One of the most notable events in the coming period is the US presidential election. The pandemic has completely reshaped the American presidential race - electoral processes in the United States and other countries are influenced by new priorities and voter demands. At the same time, the political establishment seeks to find an ideological response to the wave of populist politicians - during a crisis,  experience and professionalism are a top priority. Obviously, support will be given to those leaders who can offer the right balance between freedom, security and economic well-being.

The form of communication between political leaders and citizens is also changing: the political leadership of the new era requires both an understanding of modern technological capabilities and guarantees that it will protect society from "digital dictatorship". The authors of the report cite as an example the experience of the United States, where candidates have lacked the opportunity to speak in front of a live audience, depriving them of their usual PR routines and costing them points.

How has the coronavirus affected the political situation in the leading countries of the world? What competencies and resources do the political elites need to survive after the pandemic subsides? How has the coronavirus affected the use of modern technology in political governance? What changes in political institutions could the COVID-19 crisis lead to? Will the mechanisms of communication between elites and citizens be transformed? What qualities should a political leader have in the new era? The participants in the expert discussion will answer these and other questions.

Speakers:

• Andrey Bezrukov, Associate Professor, Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the MFA of Russia (MGIMO);
• Anuradha Chenoy, Former Dean at School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi;
  
• Daniil Parenkov, Researcher at the Centre for Political Elite Studies, Institute for International Studies, Deputy Head of the Political Theory Department, MGIMO (author of the report);
  
• Marat Shibutov, Member of the National Council of Public Trust Under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
  
• Nathalia Zaiser, Chair of the Board/Founder, Africa Business Initiative Union, Expert on International Public Policy.

Moderator:

• Andrey Sushentsov, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.

Working languages: Russian, English.

For accreditation, you must fill out the form on our website and indicate your personal mobile number with the WhatsApp application installed. 

Please send questions for speakers to press@valdaiclub.com or via WhatsApp to the number: +79269307763. Be sure to include your name and title, as well as the name of the speaker to whom the question is being addressed. Questions will be asked during the Q&A session.

A link to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms used by the Valdai Club: on the website, on Facebook, Vkontakte, Instagram, and Telegram.