Apparently not. Russia's had their license to whitedom revoked, which lasted between the 90s and late 2000s, so only bad-bad things happens in Russia and all good-good democratic things happens in the West (which they are no longer a part of), sweaty. They need to apply to renew their license so they can do good-good things.

[–] BurgerPunk@hexbear.net 22 points 1 month ago

It was a coup. That's just an objective thing that happened regardless of this article or the quatation from Putin

[–] m532@lemmygrad.ml 8 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Luckily putin is neither fascist nor a dictator.

[–] bobzer@lemmy.zip 0 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

Yeah, fifth term and 88% of the vote.

Totally legitimate. Definitely not dictator for life.

[–] m532@lemmygrad.ml 8 points 4 weeks ago

Was Merkel dictator for life too?

[–] PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml 8 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Yet another westerner who can't imagine that a politician can be popular.

[–] bobzer@lemmy.zip 1 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

How to be popular:

Use a loophole to run for a third term of presidency by becoming prime minister.
Rewrite the constitution during your third term to remove your term limit.
Jail your political opponents.
Assassinate critics.
Only allow approved opposition to run.
Brutally crush any democratic protests.
Force government employees to vote for you.
Start a war to rally support for yourself.
~~Take lots of weird, shirtless, old-man photos.~~

[–] burlemarx@lemmygrad.ml 6 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago)

Sorry, but nothing you said is uncommon in your democratic countries

Use a loophole to run for a third term of presidency by becoming prime minister.

Macron used a loophole to do a very unpopular retirement pension reform bypassing congress.

Rewrite the constitution during your third term to remove your term limit.

Didn't know amending the constitution or re-writing it was anti-democratic. Then no democratic country would ever pass this test.

Jail your political opponents.

Like Ukraine did? https://apnews.com/article/europe-ukraine-arrests-business-government-and-politics-f50da684fab61add42348d276482477c

Or like Germany is doing right now?

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/germany-crackdown-israel-gaza-jewish-activist

Assassinate critics.

Learn about COINTELPRO.

Only allow approved opposition to run.

Ukraine again:

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/3/21/why-did-ukraine-suspend-11-pro-russia-parties

Brutally crush any democratic protests.

Can you not see what is happening right now to anti-genocide protesters? Also what about Odessa massacre?

https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/the-odessa-trade-union-massacre-ten-years-later/

Force government employees to vote for you.

AFAIK, vote is still done in secrecy in Russia.

Start a war to rally support for yourself.

Like, the Iraqi, Lybia, Afghanistan and Iran wars? Or Yugoslavia?

~~Take lots of weird, shirtless, old-man photos.~~

I think you have some kind of kink with Putin, why does this have anything to do with being democratic or not?

TLDR;

That said, the points you listed are not uncommon in any democratic countries. Unless you say that no country is democratic, therefore I will agree with you. Neither Russia nor any other country in the West or in any part in the world is actually democratic.

[–] m532@lemmygrad.ml 6 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

This seems tame compared to the shit western rulers are pulling

[–] ok_computer_dude@lemmy.zip -2 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

He’s pointing n out why he is a facist dictator. Not addressing the west. He’s answering the question and this whataboutism and straw man shit is on you.

[–] burlemarx@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 4 weeks ago

Putin is a conservative, a right winger, a nationalist, a capitalist pig, you name it. I won't deny it. But calling him a fascist is not knowing what fascist is about.

Also, I have no problem in saying Russia is not democratic. As long as you don't use it as an argument to justify any attack against Russia or Russians, since no place in the world is actually democratic.

[–] burlemarx@lemmygrad.ml 5 points 4 weeks ago

People need to understand what fascism is before calling everyone a fascist. I have no love for Putin and I think he is a piece of shit, but he is no fascist.