Digitalization of Public Administration as a Factor of Transformation of Political Legitimacy in Modern Russia

In the context of the accelerating digital transformation of public authority, the digitalization of public administration is increasingly viewed not only as a managerial innovation but also as a factor influencing the nature of interaction between the state and society. However, in Russian political science research, digitalization is predominantly analyzed from the standpoint of administrative efficiency, while its impact on the foundations of political legitimacy remains insufficiently studied. This article aims to address this research gap. The purpose of the article is to identify and analyze the mechanisms through which the digitalization of public administration influences the transformation of political legitimacy in contemporary Russia. An additional purpose is to determine the political effects of digital governance practices within the system of public authority.The study is based on institutional and structural-functional approaches, as well as methods of political analysis, comparative analysis, and analysis of academic sources.The empirical base includes recent Russian scholarly publications, regulatory documents, and analytical materials on the digital transformation of public administration in the Russian Federation. The study substantiates that the digitalization of public administration contributes to the transformation of political legitimacy by shaping a service-oriented model of interaction between the authorities and society, modifying channels of political communication, and expanding instruments of managed transparency. It is shown that digital technologies simultaneously enhance trust in public institutions and generate new risks related to formalization and imitation of civic participation. The results obtained complement existing approaches to the analysis of political legitimacy by emphasizing digital governance practices as an independent political factor. Prospects for further research include the study of regional models of digitalization and the assessment of the long-term political effects of the digital state.

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