The Russian Orthodox Church Pillar of Power, Mirror of Society

Although Russia is a "secular state", the Russian Orthodox Church holds a special place. It is the largest religious community in Russia. Church and politics are closely linked. The political leadership expects the church to use its values and norms to contribute to the shaping of identity and integration in society. In return for its support of the Putin regime, the church gains influence. After the Duma elections in the winter of 2011-2012, individual priests publicly criticised the electoral fraud. With that, they revealed the pluralism that exists within the Russian Orthodox Church.