Putin might not run for president, but will likely still hold power
September 19, 2011
The Petersburg Politics Foundation recently announced that it is likely incumbent president Dmitry Medvedev will seek reelection in next year's presidential vote, according to Bloomberg. Medvedev was chosen by Prime Minister Putin as his successor in 2008.
Recently, Putin and Medvedev's United Russia political party lost 40 percent of its popularity. The news source states that the two leaders will decide among themselves who will run for the Kremlin, but the report indicates that Putin will not likely seek the presidency.
"Putin is strengthening his right to rule without a formal status as president or prime minister so he can dodge problems as a leader of a popular front and simply as a leader of the nation," Mikhail Vinogradov, a member of the advisory board at Putin's United Russia party, told Bloomberg in a phone interview.
The Economist reports that regardless of who runs, the United Russia party will likely get about 60 percent of the vote. Whether or not Putin himself runs for the position, it appears as though he will remain a major player in the Russian government.
People can use international phone cards to make calls to Russia to talk to their friends and family about the upcoming presidential race.