Mid-Term Elections: a test for Medvedev and for Democracy

Today's mid-term regional elections will be seen as an indicator of Dmitry Medvedev's popularity, and results will be likely to dictate the tone of the 2012 presidential campaign.
 
From the western perspective, the inertia that has affected proposed electoral reform will be disappointing. Although these will be the last elections to use the controversial "early-voting" system that was blamed for "distortion" of previous results, regional authorities are clearly backing the ruling United Russia Party. Election monitors and political campaigners have complained that smaller parties are being "squeezed out", and their electoral activities hampered.
 
Up to 32 million Russians will vote today.