Putin confirms he will return as Russian President in 2012
197 replies, posted
• Vladimir Putin has accepted a proposal to stand for Russian President in 2012, a race he is almost guaranteed to win.
• Putin was President from 2000-08, but was constitutionally only allowed two consecutive terms. Under a recent amendment, terms now last six years, meaning he could be in office until 2024.
• Current President Dmitry Medvedev will stand for election to the Duma, with the goal of taking over Putin's role as Prime Minister.
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15045816[/url]
[quote=BBC News]Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he has accepted a proposal to stand for president in March 2012.
Addressing the ruling United Russia party's annual congress, Mr Putin and current President Dmitry Medvedev backed one another to switch roles.
The announcements end speculation over which man should run for the top job.
United Russia, which Mr Putin leads, dominates the country's politics and observers say his return to the Kremlin is now all but guaranteed.
He had already served two terms as president before Mr Medvedev took over in 2008. Mr Putin was barred by the constitution from running for a third consecutive term.
News of Mr Putin's candidacy, which had been widely expected, was greeted with dismay by the country's small liberal opposition.
Boris Nemtsov, a deputy prime minister under Boris Yeltsin, likened Mr Putin to Alexander Lukashenko, the long-serving autocratic president of Belarus.
'Great honour'
"I want to thank you for the positive reaction to the proposal for me to stand for Russian president," Mr Putin told delegates after Mr Medvedev suggested he should be a candidate.
"For me this is a great honour."
Mr Putin also indicated that Mr Medvedev could become prime minister following the 4 December parliamentary vote, introducing a "new, effective, young, energetic management team".
Mr Medvedev had earlier accepted a proposal that he head the party's list of candidates in the elections and spoke of his "readiness to assume practical work in the government" in the future.
Backing Mr Putin for president, he said: "I think it would be correct for the congress to support the candidacy of the party chairman, Vladimir Putin, to the post of president of the country."
The congress must formally nominate Mr Putin as its presidential candidate - but that appears all but certain given the cheering and applause that greeted Mr Medvedev's proposal.
There have been months of speculation that Mr Putin planned to return to the Kremlin when elections are held in March.
Correspondents say most Russians believe he has greater influence in the country and far more power than Mr Medvedev.
Mr Putin told delegates that the two men had reached agreement on who should hold which post "a long time ago, several years back".
He also warned of possible, unpopular measures to cope with the global financial turmoil.
"The task of the government is not only to pour honey into a cup, but sometimes to give bitter medicine," Mr Putin said.
"But this should always be done openly and honestly, and then the overwhelming majority of people will understand their government."
Mr Medvedev has spearheaded a drive to modernise Russia during his term in office.
Some economists say the return of the more conservative Mr Putin could counter this. Others say the two men vary in their styles but differ little on policy.
Under recent constitutional amendments, the new president will have a six-year mandate rather than four years as before. He or she will be able to serve no more than two consecutive terms, meaning Mr Putin could be in office until 2024.
Mr Nemtsov, who co-founded the unregistered People's Freedom Party, predicted "increased migration, capital flight and even more dependence on raw materials" under Mr Putin.
"We're in for a giant corruption component in politics, which will be incomparable with the current one," he told Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy.[/quote]
Very good, a badass in charge of Russia, like it always should be.
[QUOTE=Jelly donut;32456726][img]http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/putin091311/s_p34_DWI22303.jpg[/img]
[I]"I'm Back"[/i][/QUOTE]
No no, you need a witty pun when sunglasses are involved.
"Looks like he'll be.....[i]putin[/i] charge again"?
[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;32456730]
"Looks like he'll be.....[i]putin[/i] charge again"?[/QUOTE]
Brilliant.
Does this mean Obama and Medvedev won't get to hang out and fuck around anymore? If you see them together they always seem to be buddies having a chill day, and not just for the cameras
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KR4S4ge114[/media]
:(
[QUOTE=Starship;32456803][img]http://i.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/article/2/7/6/50276.jpg?v=1[/img][/QUOTE]
He looks sad :(
[QUOTE=DangerStranger;32456815]He looks sad :([/QUOTE]
As a rule of thumb, whenever Putin looks sad, he's just contemplating how many bears he has to wrestle today.
[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;32456851]As a rule of thumb, whenever Putin looks sad, he's just contemplating how many bears he has to wrestle today.[/QUOTE]
That face says 37.
What is with Facepunch and its boner for Putin again. Isn't he like a benevolent dictator? Or just a dude who gets elected because hes suave.
[QUOTE=Zambies!;32456877]What is with Facepunch and its boner for Putin again. Isn't he like a benevolent dictator? Or just a dude who gets elected because hes suave.[/QUOTE]
Or maybe because he's a good PM
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Russian_economy_since_fall_of_Soviet_Union.PNG[/img]
[QUOTE=Zambies!;32456877]What is with Facepunch and its boner for Putin again. Isn't he like a benevolent dictator? Or just a dude who gets elected because hes suave.[/QUOTE]
From what I know he's not the most benelovent fellow ever, it's true that his cult of personality has probably exceeded him as a leader.
Putin loves you this is true
Sing these words or you know what we'll do
[QUOTE=Jelly donut;32456900]Or maybe because he's a good PM
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Russian_economy_since_fall_of_Soviet_Union.PNG[/img][/QUOTE]
Didn't the country get hit hard from the world-wide recession during Medvedev's administration?
[QUOTE=Jelly donut;32456900]Or maybe because he's a good PM
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Russian_economy_since_fall_of_Soviet_Union.PNG[/img][/QUOTE]
Yeah, who needs rights and freedom as long as the richest gets richer.
[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;32456968]Didn't the country get hit hard from the world-wide recession during Medvedev's administration?[/QUOTE]
Or the fact that it only recently became independent?
[QUOTE=Canuhearmenow;32457017]Facepunch seems to have really bought into Putin's cult of personality.[/QUOTE]
He's a good leader and all, but does noone see the problem with him being in charge potentially until 2024? prez4lyfe and all that?
"I'm gladimir!"
[QUOTE=Canuhearmenow;32457017]Facepunch seems to have really bought into Putin's cult of personality.[/QUOTE]
I think that they don't really buy it, however, they are incredibly amused by his antics
In other news, pavement cleaners prepare for the rise in buisness in anticipation of an incoming wave of reporters accidentally falling to their deaths.
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