Putin will likely return as Russian president in 2012

[gevorg]

http://rt.com/news/putin-president-medvedev-election-295/

Prime Minister Putin has accepted Dmitry Medvedev’s proposal for him to run for the presidency in 2012, made at the convention of the United Russia party in Moscow. Putin also put forward Medvedev to lead the party’s election list.
“I consider it to be the right move for the congress to support party’s leader Vladimir Putin as a presidential candidate,” announced the Russian president, talking of the presidential elections, which have been set for March 2012.
Vladimir Putin, who is the leader of the United Russia Party, addressing the delegates at the gathering, in his turn, has called on the party to put Dmitry Medvedev at the top of the list of candidates at the forthcoming parliamentary elections in December 2011.

This time Putin comes to presidency with a much stronger economy, as well as more government controlled and less chaotic country than it was in the 1990s. But although most Russians still support Putin, they have greater expectations from government, and thanks to widespread of internet, can speak out against government much easier now (LiveJournal, RosPil, policeman on Youtube, etc). Fighting Chechen terrorists would not be enough to gain popularity for Putin anymore, he will have to do a lot more to maintain his popularity, such as fighting widespread corruption.

 

[MovingTarget]

No third term! :thumbsdown:

I don't care if it is Russia or whatever other country. Who here would want GWB running against Obama this year? Its the same principle. Term limits, especially for executives, is a MUST for democratic/representative government.

 

[Printer Bandit]

prime minister and president are different.

 

[gevorg]

No third term! :thumbsdown:

I don't care if it is Russia or whatever other country. Who here would want GWB running against Obama this year? Its the same principle. Term limits, especially for executives, is a MUST for democratic/representative government.

They really have no other reasonable choice at this point. The other choices: Zyuganov a zombie commie, Zhirinovsky a joker/psychopath, and any newcomer would be hungry for billions of $$$, something that Putin/Medvedev already have.

Russia is still a semi/quasi democracy, they have a long way to go to have a completely democratic government (if that something they even want).

 

[Conscript]

No third term! :thumbsdown:

I don't care if it is Russia or whatever other country. Who here would want GWB running against Obama this year? Its the same principle. Term limits, especially for executives, is a MUST for democratic/representative government.

Disagree. Never understood term limit on position gained through democratic vote. Let the people vote for their first choice.

Now Supreme Court justices...thete's somwhere where term limits need to be instituted.

 

[Spikesoldier]

you guys actually think putin has stepped down from the reigns of control since medvedev took office?

nothing to see here.

 

[kage69]

What he said.


President Polonium never left, he just decided to go Cheney for awhile.

 

[Martin]

Russia's "democratic" system is the biggest joke in the world. I'd say China has a more representative form of government now - power there actually passes on from one generation to another every 10 years or so. By the time Putin retires in 2020, he'll have been leader for over 20 years.