Navalny gave Russians hope – they must hold on to it

In the wake of the news that Alexei Navalny died in the darkness and bitter cold of Russia’s remote Polar Wolf prison, a chill of despair has become palpable among some thinkers and activists. Some have even gone as far as to claim that any hope for a better Russia died with the opposition leader. But this is wrong: the dream of Navalny’s ‘beautiful Russia of the future’ will only die if the international community and Russian civil society let it. This would be the ultimate betrayal of Navalny’s legacy, which is why now is the time to focus our efforts on keeping that legacy alive. 

Western analysts have often thought of Navalny as a traditional politician: they have analysed his platforms, his aides and his debate partners. But this is a mistake. Navalny should instead be viewed as a symbol integral to that ‘beautiful Russia of the future’ – the term he coined during his 2017 political campaign.