In the first half of 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin seemed to be coasting toward a presidency-for-life.<br />But according to CNN, what followed instead was Putin's most challenging year to date.<br />Putin's political durability is often attributed to a simple bargain between him and his citizens.<br />At its essence, it is to accept limited political competition in exchange for stability and steady increases in the standard of living.<br />But in the face of the government's ability to control the coronavirus pandemic, that deal has begun to unravel.<br />In August, protests in Belarus frayed the deal's edges. And the August poisoning of opposition leader Alexey Navalny came close to ripping it up completely.
