Putin Agrees to Become Prime Minister Under Medvedev

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg News

Dec. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Vladimir Putin agreed to become Russia's prime minister under his chosen successor, Dmitry Medvedev, allowing him to maintain power after leaving the Kremlin.

Putin told a United Russia party congress in Moscow today that officially nominated Medvedev as its candidate for the March 2 presidential election that he wouldn't try to weaken Medvedev's presidency, which pollsters say is almost assured.

``If our people, Russian citizens, place their trust in Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev and elect him as the new president of the Russian Federation, I'll be ready to continue work as head of the government without changing the distribution of powers between the presidency and government,'' Putin told delegates.

Putin, 55, who has to step down in May after serving two consecutive four-year terms, is widely expected by analysts to remain the most powerful politician in Russia. They say this could provoke a conflict if Medvedev, 42, later uses his constitutional authority as president to assert himself.



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aKeey965KYdU&refer=home

[Buzz Clik]

1. Someone needs to ask Bush exactly what he saw in Putin's eyes.

[Robeson]

2. Vladimir Putin is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being....

...I've ever known in my life....

(Hey, sometimes you have to say things you don't like, when you have an aversion to polonium-210).

Love ya, Putti! :hi:

[Doctor Cynic]

3. In Soviet Russia, office steps down from you? n/t

[denem]

4. Ra Ra Ras Putin

Russia's greatest tsar machine.