Putin Picks Medvedev to Succeed Him

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his support for Dmitry Medvedev to be his successor. At a meeting of his United Russia Party and three supportive political parties, Mr. Putin said he “completely and fully” backed the proposal by the four parties to nominate Mr. Medvedev, who is one of the first deputy prime ministers and chairman of the gas export monopoly Gazprom. He couldn’t have picked a safer pair of hands for himself.

Mr. Putin’s term ends soon, and he has made it clear that he will continue to wield power in Russia despite a constitutional ban on a third consecutive term as president. He is considering taking the job of Prime Minister, and he has been elected to the Duma. Moreover, his supporters have said he should be “national leader” with unspecified powers.

Mr. Medvedev is one of President Putin’s pals from St. Petersburg, having worked together under Mayor Anatoly Sobchak back in the 1990s. When Mr. Putin became Prime Minister under President Boris Yeltsin, he brought Mr. Medvedev to Moscow with him to be deputy chief of staff of the cabinet. He then rose to deputy chief of staff for the president, became Gazprom board head in 2002, and full presidential chief of staff in 2003. And all thanks to Mr. Putin.

Lilia Shevtsova, an analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told the Associated Press, “Medvedev is not an extremist. He is not known for any kind of harsh views on politics, and apparently Medvedev better suits Putin's view of how to achieve continuity.”

Vladimir Ryzhkov, a prominent liberal politician, told Ekho Moskvy radio: “The strategy is as follows: Medvedev is a compromise choice because he will allow Putin to keep a free hand. If Putin wants to gradually leave power Medvedev guarantees him comfort and security and will continue to listen him. If Putin wants to return in two, three years... Medvedev will be the person who will without a doubt give up the path for him.” Clearly, Mr. Putin will be a force in Russia for a great many years regardless of his title.

© Copyright 2007 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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