Restoration of the Russian monarchy?

I agree with others there is no real appetite for monarchy in Russia, although along with the revival in Orthodoxy there is greater interest in the Romanov dynasty than ever before. Russians are rediscovering their pre-1917 history and finding it isn't all terrible.

One of the main problems of course is there isn't an agreed candidate, although all those capable of understanding Romanov house law agree that Grand Duchess Maria and her son are the only living Romanov dynasts, there are others who pretend to be dynasts and cause dissension and confusion, which doesn't help the monarchist cause.

What you really need though is a Franco type figure who decides that Russia will be a monarchy again, either because he is traditionalist or simply because it will be a comfortable public front for a dictatorship.

At various times there have been rumours that Putin has toyed with introducing a monarchy, to be a focus for nationalism, he's probably the only one capable of doing it.

A lot of the renewed interest in the Imperial period is happening because the 400th Anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty was in 2013 so that also helped spur a reinvigorated interest in the Tsarist Era. Really, the internal disputes of the Romanov claimants are just the tip of the iceberg to the actual challenges to a restoration.

Frankly, I don't think anyone, least of all Putin, is going to toy with a restoration of the monarchy. It's really hard to overestimate his popularity in Russia. He's very successfully created a stable system yet one in which he has few real threats. Toying with actions like out-of-the-blue monarchical restorations is the game of either desperate leaders with waning popularity engaging in political theater to hold power, or hardline traditionalists who are firmly of the belief that the old ways are the best ways.

Putin is neither.
 
IDK if anyone here has read it, but the Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry has an interesting scenario (ignoring the surviving descendants of Nicholas II I mean) with the Russians voting to restore the Monarchy after the collapse of Communism and the economic disaster of the 1990s. Something similar could happen if the 1990s are even worse in Russia, ie more corruption, proof of electoral fraud, things like that. Basically a situation would have to be created that makes the Russian people turn to a Monarchist form of government as a possible solution for the woes and failures of the country.

Of course who would be the Tsar in such a scenario is up for debate. If Vladimir Kirillovich lived longer he would be an interesting choice. Of course in the event of a restoration there's no guarantee that the Russian government would follow the lines of succession that the Pauline laws established; the closest relative of Tsar Nicholas (one of the descendants of Grand Duchess Xenia) could be preferred over one of the distant cousins.But realistically a Romanov restoration would be very difficult to pull off.

However, I don't think it would be truly shocking if, in the next decade or so, Vladimir Putin pulls a Napoleon and proclaims himself Emperor. He'd have the support of the Church easy, probably have the backing of some part of the population and the opposition, disorganized as it is, would have no real chance of stopping it. As long as the Russian populace and the military doesn't go completely against it Tsar Vladimir I Putin could be a real possibility.
 
The Duke of Kent line actually has some rights through the mother of the current Duke, and Prince Michael of Kent likes to parade around his likeness to Nicholas II.
Then again, they are in 40ies as far as the list goes and the Personal Union would take a King Ralph-style mass culling of folks.

That said, a morganaric marriages clause is really disputed, by a current head of Romanov family no less, since she is born from a marriage that under Pauline laws is morganatic - her mother is not even a proper mediatized princess.

The Duke of Kent and his siblings are descended from the Romanovs (as are many hundreds of people) but have no rights to the Russian throne as none of their marriages are even remotely in compliance with the Pauline Laws.

I agree there are potential arguments against Maria Vladimirovna's claims due to her mother's ancestry (although I am personally sympathetic to Maria's cause) and these will intensify when her only son almost certainly marries a commoner in the coming years. I suspect Maria's defence will be the same as her father's, as the head of the Dynasty, only she is entitled to change the rules.

If one ignores Maria's line because of this issue, then the heir becomes Andreas, Prince of Leiningen.
 
A return to Monarchism is incredibly unlikely, but slightly possible following the breakup of the USSR- but only, only at the end of the 90s or 2000s with a powerful President installing a Tsar/Tsarina for propaganda purposes.
There is no chance of an autocratic Tsar.
None.
Let's reinforce that point: there is no chance of a return to Tsarist autocracy whatsoever.

As for a coup? Who by?
Can you find a single person in the upper reaches of the Soviet or Russian state who is a: not only a monarchist, but a reactionary ultramontane who wants to seize power for an exiled family, b: has enough support in an anti-clerical, anti-monarchist military to seize Moscow, c: then has enough support across a superpower, nuclear-armed security state to establish control.

Look, I get the appeal of romantic monarchism (hell, I'm a romantic republican, it's really not that different.)
But there are times and places where it could work, and times and places where it could reform.
Russia after 1920 (and that's generous) is neither.
 
It doesen't has to be- at least if makes Putin's stay-on-power-indefinitly-attempts much easier.

The Russian constitution provides enough space for Imperial presidency and a return of the monarchy would be quite unpopular.
There is no reason for the Russian elite to consider it.

Also, it pretty much fits with his newly discovered agenda of Russian nationalism and Orthodoxy...;)

You are confusing some tools which are used to create an all-Russian post-Soviet identity with core agenda.
It does not fit as the Soviet past is also accepted as part of it rather than rejected like in the 1990s.
 
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