ABSTRACT
Russian-Belarusian unification has yet to take place, or even to advance very far. Indeed, the provisions of almost all the treaties and agreements signed in the period under study would affect the foundations of the constitutional order in Russia, from the status of Russia, its territory and sovereignty to the supremacy of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The analysis of the Yeltsin period shows that the first Russian president used the issue of integration with Belarus to gain or maintain power domestically rather than to achieve a union with Belarus. Despite the quasi-authoritarian nature of Russian presidentialism, the electoral process significantly influences the political agenda. The dynamics of integration has significantly changed under Putin, but still lends itself to explanation using our model. Vladimir Putin's approval rating was unusually high throughout his first mandate and has continued so in the beginning of the second term.
