Rustam Minnikhanov outruns leaders of Crimea and Chechen Republic in political elite rating
In March 2024, Tatarstan Rais Rustam Minnikhanov ranks 70th in a rating of Russia’s most influential politicians in Mid-Influence section together with leaders of just five Russian regions. At the same time, as Realnoe Vremya found out, he outperformed not only his colleagues from Crimea and the Chechen Republic but also federal politicians such as aide to the president Vladimir Medinsky (79th place), Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov (81st place).
In the top of political elite
Tatarstan leader Rustam Minnikhanov occupies 70th position in the rating of 100 most influential politicians of Russia in March 2024. Besides him, this list includes just six regional leaders. Moscow Mayor who is out of reach for his colleagues from the regions Sergey Sobyanin is up from 4th to 3rd position (Very strong influence) because he played an important role in organising medical assistance to victims of the horrendous terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow. Amid this backdrop, Governor of Moscow Region Andrey Vorobyov is down from 82nd to 88th place (Mid-Influence).
Governor of Saint Petersburg Alexander Beglov (66th position) and head of Tula region Dmitry Dyumin ended up above Minnikhanov in the rating apart from Sobyanin.
Head of the Republic of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov lost positions to Minnikhanov (from 69th to 71st place). Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Republic, is 72nd. All of them are in the echelon of Mid-Influence.
Chaired by Vladimir Putin
The rating of 100 most influential politicians of Russia is created by the Agency for Political and Economic Communications and based on an expert survey conducted anonymously. It includes 28 experts: political experts, political strategists, media experts, representatives of political parties. They assess the influence of politicians on a scale of 1 to 10 and can add up to five new people. If at least two experts name a candidate who was not previously on the list, he or she will be assessed by all participants in the survey next month.
The final rating is an overall assessment of influence of 100 Russian politicians. As a result of the survey, the individuals from the rating are distributed in the sections Very Strong Influence, Strong Influence, Mid-Influence.
Vladimir Putin expectedly occupies first position. Key domestic political events he is involved in include the victory with a record-high result in the presidential campaign, meetings with confidents, candidates for presidency, leaders of parliamentary factions and winners of Leaders of Russia competition of managers, the launch of Moscow-Saint Petersburg high-speed road construction and the start of the 7th energy unit of the Leningrad Nuclear Power Station, business trips to Krasnodar and Stavropol regions.
Government Chairman Mikhail Mishustin is 2nd in the rating. Vice Premier Marat Khusnullin, who is from Tatarstan, is 28th among the 100 most influential politicians of the country in March in Strong Influence section.