Putin Picks His Favorite to Succeed Him as President
December 10, 2007
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev has received Vladimir Putin’s support to succeed him as President of Russia. He was nominated by United Russia, Mr. Putin’s powerhouse party, as well as three other parties: A Just Russia, the Agrarian Party, and Civil Force, all of which are considered to be pro-Kremlin (BBC).
Mr. Medvedev (whose name comes from the Russian word “medved,” meaning “bear”) is a former lawyer from Putin’s hometown of St. Petersburg. His rise in political power started in the 1990s as an assistant professor at St. Petersburg State University. From there he began working as a consultant to St. Petersburg’s mayor, eventually leading to a place in the city council. When Mr. Putin ran for President of Russia in 2000, Mr. Medvedev headed the campaign. After Putin’s election Medvedev became the chairman of Gazprom, Russia’s giant gas company, as well as Putin’s chief of staff. Two years ago he was appointed a deputy first prime minister. His job focused on social projects regarding health, agriculture, education, and restoring a positive birth rate.
Medvedev is considered to be a moderate, pro-business candidate. He was quoted as saying, “We are well aware that no non-democratic state has ever become truly prosperous for one simple reason: freedom is better than non-freedom.” However, according to the BBC, “Mr. Putin has made it clear he will retain a significant national leadership role after he leaves office at the end of his second term. Mr. Putin voiced confidence that Mr. Medvedev would provide continuity.”
Mr. Putin’s popularity in Russia has led to the commonly-held belief that whoever he supports will win the presidency.
