Vladimir Putin President of Russia again in 2012

[Lord Baal]

Vladimir Putin might have kept his ambition to return as Russia's President in 2012 under wraps, but Russian security agencies already appear to be preparing for it.

Sixteen months ahead of the next presidential elections, it has emerged that the Federal Protection Service (FSO) which is responsible for VIP security, has registered in its name the website 'putin2012.rf' in the Russian Cyrillic domain.

The FSO has registered the domain name by the September 16 deadline laid down for priority registrations by government agencies.
This has been done even as the site 'medvedev2012.rf' is still available, RBC business newswire reported. This is being seen by many as a clear clue to the fact that Putin is all set to return to the top Kremlin job once his chosen successor vacates office.

The FSO has cleared the 'intrigue' about who will be in power after March 2012 presidential elections, another web portal newsru.com said commenting on the report.

While Medvedev has not ruled out seeking re-election, Putin at several times has said that both of them will sit together and decide the issue depending on the situation.

FSO, which once was part of the Soviet KGB, obviously did not act on its own and this move has virtually made Medvedev a 'lame duck' president, specially at the time when he is involved in a row with Putin's political ally and powerful mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov.

According to Gazeta.ru, Medvedev is angered by the grabbing of land allocated to Indian and other diplomatic missions by Luzhkov's billionaire wife Elena Baturina, said to be Russia's richest woman.

However, Putin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov asked not to give too much importance to the fact of registration of the website for campaign in 2012 saying that the PMO had not ordered its opening.

"May be the Prime Minister is not even aware about the appearance of his 2012 campaign site," Peskov was quoted as saying by Gazeta.ru.
Putin had stepped down as President after completing two terms in office in 2008, appointing his hand-picked man Medvedev in the job.

Putin , who was first elected president in 2000 was prevented from running for the top job during the last vote, in 2008, as Russia's constitution says a president can serve only two consecutive terms. But after a four-year break from the post, the former KGB agent would legitimately be able to run again in 2012, so long as current President Medvedev agrees to step aside.

[Ashu]

I'm having a deja-vu about the way Putin wants power. Its no surprise but its still a sad thing, that a people that has suffered for so long still won't shed its skin.

[[KMA]Avenger]

Medvedev is Putins lapdog, and was put in power to keep the seat warm for Putin.

[Lord Baal]

There is no disputing that KMA Avenger, his party United Russia is let's face it, the only real political party with governing power in Russia. Hut their regime did bring aout some economic recovery in Russia. Although Vlad is mixed. One day he lowers taxes on personal income, the next dat he bombs Chechnya, he subsidises public universities and reforms the student loan system, the next he is cutting of energy in the Ukraine, one day he gives more money to retirees the next minute he subidises rigged election in the Ukraine and Kazakhstan. So really he is a mixed kettle of fish.

[GrizzZzzly]

Annoys me when i hear this. When anyone tries to step up to challenge him for the post, like Gary Kasparov (former world champion chess player) did, they shut it. I distinctly remember Gary Kasparov could not run for president because he couldnt rally the minimum ammount of support due to fact that Putin's party forced the town halls and places of gathering to deny him the opportunity to address any ammount of people at a time.

[RepliMagni]

Russia is Russia....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8709517.stm

[Jack]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gncW1zqMFgs

[Brdavs]

To play devils advocate a bit... Putin is actually very popular. He`s not winning election by slight majorities or electorial votes trumping popular vote but by a landslide.

And its not particulary hard to see why. After the pit of the 90s under yeltsin, when russia was robbed blind during the transition, he made a mini coup by weaseiling his way into power and sorta cleaned house of the oligarcs that got rich during the privatization. Some bowed down and got with the programe and some bolted it for London or ended up behind bars.
Last 10 years or so the country has been picking itself up economicaly and subsequently on the international scene aswell.

People respond to that.

I mean look at what grizzly wrote as a "good thing bad thing comparrison". If a russian were to read that it would no doubt be all good things. Positive economy shifts arent offset by decisive action to "combat terrorism" in chechneya or to safeguard the nations interest in its neigborhood.

Sure, we can get upset that moscow backed and funded candidat won the ucranian elections since that means that the western backed and financed candidate lost lol, but a russian will be happy with that. Sure we can say its political leverage to cut off gas to Kiev, but people, bottom line, they werent paying their bills lol. And the price for them was already 1/3 of what say my country is being charged. Capitalsim?

Kasparov, the favorite name to point at as russias democratic martyr, isnt popular in Russia. At all. Hes not dropping out of elections cos he cant get a room to hold a meeting, hes dropping out cos he`s being trumped in the polls and its better to play victim than to loose. Might sound cynical but its no friggin surprise, you cant even call his party a party. Its a collection of groups that cant logicaly coexists and have only one thing in common, dislike of Putin. His "the other russia" (I believe) is a collection ranging from far liberal left to far right. From bolsheviks and communists to what can most readily be described as neocons. In one "party". I mean wut lol? There is no substance there lol.
You cant seriously expect people to vote for that when their main political goal is just to get rid of Putin. Especially if said Putin is providing positive results.

Is it ideal that one party is so strong? No. But heck, a 2 party majority system of libs/tories, or prebulicans/democrats is just marginaly better. You get simmilar rubberstamping and voting discipline of parties is a big thing. Russians just go one step further and say "instead of having to show up and say as the party tells you, you dont even have to come in".

Athoritarian leadership? Ya well thats allways been russian style, its in people themselves, the belief that such a big country needs a firm hand at the helm to keep order. Add to that that they`ve been dealing with islamistic exremism well before 9/11 (in chechnya) you get the expected result. Americans arent the only people who line a "strong wartime/crissis president" heh.



Bottom line he is a shrude politician that is out for Russias interests on all levels and kinda delivers them results. Far better ones than his predecessor atleast. He pulled the country out from the gutter and restored some pride to it on the international stage, from their perspective.

Its no surprise he`s not liked but vilified in the west but it equaly isnt any particular enigma as to why the vas majority of russians do like him and will see him reelected in 2012.

[Lord Baal]

Brdavs is right. Despite his unpleasentness in the eyes of us in the west, he's domestic and exconomic policies brought russia out of the pit from whence that idiot Boris Yeltson was in charge. Vladimir Putin and his United Russia party where the real people who helped the country recover from the break up of the Soviet Union. Besides in russia of you need to be ruthless and iron willed and yes authoritarian to actually get stuff done.

[Jack]

Besides in russia of you need to be ruthless and iron willed and yes authoritarian to actually get stuff done.

That's anywhere.