The role of core enterprises in the establishment of the city manager institution (based on single-industry towns in the Sverdlovsk region)

Introduction. The second half of the 2010s witnesses a massive transition from a «strong mayor» system to a two-headed system of local government organization. The attention of political scientists was focused mainly on the analysis of the causes and consequences of such a transition in large cities and administrative centers of the Russian Federation, while the study of the political situation in mono-cities was to a large extend neglected. Aims. To determine the role of core enterprises in the introduction of the city manager institution based on single-industry towns in the Middle Urals. Methods. The method of biographical analysis, comparativism, positional approach, behaviorism, the theory of political rent. Results. The study identified the causes and main stages in returning control over local authorities to the core enterprises. Conclusion. The abolition of mayor's direct elections in single-industry towns and the introduction of double-headed systems in these municipalities was conditioned by the desire of the core enterprises management to prevent the re-loss of control over the local administration and to insure themselves against political upsets in the future.