Row with West overshadows Russia's election start

By Michael Stott

MOSCOW (Reuters) - An increasingly bitter dispute between Moscow and the West over democracy overshadowed the official start on Saturday of the campaign for Russia's March 2 presidential election.

President Vladimir Putin's chosen successor Dmitry Medvedev, who enjoys blanket coverage on state media and full support from the Kremlin, is expected to win the election by a landslide.

Russia accused Europe's main election watchdog on Friday of trying to sabotage monitoring of the vote. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's monitoring body had in turn accused Moscow of imposing serious restrictions on its work.

Opinion polls show most Russians like Putin's hawkish stance towards the West, so taking a tough line against election monitors is likely to be popular among voters.

The growing dispute threatened a repeat of a standoff last year when European monitors scrapped plans to monitor Russia's parliamentary elections after accusing Moscow of obstruction. Putin's United Russia party went on to win a landslide victory.

The Europeans are unhappy Russia has stopped their monitors from starting work until only three days before the election.

"Open sabotage continues ... for our proposals of joint election monitoring," said Russian Foreign Ministry official Sergei Ryabkov.

Pollsters say Medvedev, now first deputy prime minister, will win at least 70 percent of the vote. State-owned pollster VTsIOM said on Thursday Medvedev would get 74 percent.

The 42-year-old Medvedev's nearest rival, veteran Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, has lost two previous presidential elections and is now shown with 12 percent of the vote. The other two candidates are even less of a threat.

Part of the explanation for Medvedev's high ratings is that an eight-year economic boom under Putin has made many Russians better off. Few want to rock the boat and risk a return to the turbulent 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

As in December's parliamentary election, state media are giving generous coverage to the Kremlin's man and minimal air time to opponents.

Once again opposition candidates are crying foul, saying Medvedev -- a long-time close Putin ally -- enjoys huge government support and resources which they cannot match.

LESS PASSION

With such a predictable result in prospect, the campaign has so far aroused little passion and even less debate.

There is a widespread expectation that Medvedev's election will make little difference because Putin, barred from seeking a third term by the constitution, will go on pulling the strings.