Political exile is a mechanism of institutional exclusion by which political or civil society participants are denied access to their home countries, often because they have been identified as potential competitors for power. Exile can also be used as a tool of foreign policy to limit the scope of democracy abroad, for example by using it to isolate political opponents.
Governments-in-exile are entities that claim authority over a homeland while operating outside it due to conflict or occupation. They typically seek diplomatic recognition from other States. Such governments may be established from a belief in the illegitimacy of a ruling government or, as is the case with the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, India, can form from a popular movement wishing to replace that government.
Historically, governments-in-exile have enjoyed considerable privileges when recognized by State authorities. Among these are the ability to negotiate treaties (and to terminate and suspend them) and representation in inter-State fora, the command of their own armies, and jurisdiction and diplomatic immunities. However, such privileges are not inherently attached to a given territory and the ability of States to recognize governments-in-exile depends on political considerations.
While the vast majority of those in exile from Russia have not founded their own governments, a significant community has formed around them. Despite their lack of formal leadership, these individuals remain a powerful political force in the West. They can challenge a neo-czarist regime’s policies, and they can provide Western elites with expert advice.