Russia looks to prospect of future without Vladimir as sources say he has considered quitting

[sandensea]

Source: The Independent

For a long time, it has seemed that the only person unsure he will run in the presidential elections next March is Vladimir Putin. The people expect it, his opponents are sure of it, his entourage is convinced of it. But Russia’s president is delaying.

Vladimir Putin is, sources say, tired. And he is reluctant to engage in a major national election - again. The campaign will be reduced to a bare minimum; there will be no repeat of the exhausting test of the 2011-2012 elections, when Mr. Putin declared his candidacy six months early.

The absolute deadline for registration depends on whether Mr. Putin runs as an independent or on a party platform. But most expect a declaration no earlier than mid-December.

The opposition, unable even to agree on a unity candidate, is of course unlikely to make a breakthrough. The controversial candidacy of TV personality Ksenia Sobchak has split the anti-Kremlin vote. Whether she will be allowed to participate is still, sources say, under discussion. The technocratic head of Putin’s administration, Sergei Kiriyenko believes her presence would add sparkle; others are less convinced.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/there-can-be-no-second-putin-russia-looks-to-prospect-of-future-without-vladimir-as-sources-say-he-has-considered-quitting/ar-BBFcu37?OCID=ansmsnnews11

---

Putin to retire - to run things behind the scenes?

[LonePirate]

1. I don't believe this at all.

[sandensea]

3. Same here.

If he really is planning on retiring (it's possible, I guess), he'll still be very much the power behind the throne - and not just Moscow's.

[Hortensis]

18. Agree. Read that Putin's so tied into the power structure

that's built up around him in his era that simply stepping away could lead to collapse. If he turned over any power it would only be to a strong leader from that circle.

Also, as head of Russia's kleptocracy, Putin may of course be the wealthiest man on the planet. He accumulated that it not just by dividing Russia's wealth up between himself and the circle of kleptocrats who keep him in power, but also by their taking down weaker centers of wealth, including some who had been among them. He's the last person to be willing to weaken himself.

[Control-Z]

2. He's got America to run.

Running two counties at the same time is hard.

[sandensea]

4. Or several.

It's well known that Putin controls dictators in a number of former Soviet republics.

Here he is with Turmenistan's infamous Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov (try saying that three times fast!):

[PatSeg]

22. Try saying it ONE time

[ansible]

5. It'll end badly, that's for sure

Russia simply doesn't have the society and mindset to ever have a real western-style democracy.

[sandensea]

7. True. Not too many countries do, sadly.

[PatSeg]

23. We could soon add ourselves to that list

at the rate we're going. I am cautiously optimistic that we'll survive this though.

[left-of-center2012]

6. He and Trump could ride off into the Sunset together

[spiderpig]

8. Is he planning to move to DC?

Mission Accomplished!

[rickford66]

10. Doesn't he already have apartments in Trump Tower?

Under other names of course.

[Aristus]

9. He has dangerously destablized the USA and the entire Western Hemisphere.

His work is done...

[roamer65]

11. If he doesnt run, he will hand off to Medvedev.

Probably go back to being PM, but still cause all sorts of headaches for the West.

[not fooled]

12. Maybe he just wants

to enjoy the billions he's looted from Russia.

Naw, I don't believe it either. The retirement part, not the looting.

By the way, I'm sure dump is envious of putin's ability to divert public money into private hands--dump would also like to bypass the middleman and steal tax money outright.

[sandensea]

13. Your reply, and roamer65's just above yours, are right on.

A man that powerful, in a complicated country like Russia, isn't about to retire to a farm somewhere.

[sweetloukillbot]

15. Whatever happened to that guy who replaced him about 10 years ago?

He was there, doing reformist stuff (or at least appearing to), resetting relations with Obama, then all of a sudden Putin is back....

[JI7]

16. Dmitry Medvedev ?

he was mostly a figurehead while Putin can go back and forth between president and prime minister and try to make it like he isn't a dictator. he gets paid a lot for doing it also. but Putin was the one who has always been in charge.

rachel maddow has reported on this.

[tavernier]

17. Bull

Shit

[mdbl]

19. More stupid proganda

He'll never quit.

[LisaL]

20. Sources?

He isn't going anywhere.

[Javaman]

21. he will use the same tactic that Stalin used...

he will drop dead in office.

aka he will never ever give up power.

[Maeve]

24. So he can go into real estate? Maybe sell some bridges?

Sure, he'll retire

[bdamomma]

25. Putin is not finished

with us yet, he has just begun, he's not going anywhere.

[blueinredohio]

26. Maybe Putin and Trump will retire and buy their own island to

live happily ever after