Russia: Medvedev’s decision to step down may serve well

[Casper]

D. A. Medvedev’s decision to step down as a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections must have been a difficult one as, constitutionally speaking, the president is the most powerful person in the Russian Federation. Why he has done so? President Medvedev would be a very good president for the next term in office in so-called normal times, prosperous times, stable times. But what we see today is everything but stability and prosperity: problems in Europe, financial problems in the U.S., the slowdown of the Chinese economy, and, finally North African and Arab revolutions. In general, political instability in the world demands a lot from governments, and this includes the crisis management that is needed in Russia. Thus, one of the main reasons of his decision might be the need for stronger leadership, for a crisis manager who will be able to steer Russia through the period of a global instability.

The second reason might be that D.A. Medvedev started his presidency with very ambitious plans with his famous article “Forward, Russia!” The problem is that many of his ambitious and forward-looking proposals did not materialize. Judging his presidency from the perspective of his promises, we may say that a lot of reforms in law enforcement and other legal areas were implemented, but in the area of modernization of the country few things have been done.

He has no support - or until recently he didn’t have the support - of any political party for his own political platform. It’s also doubtful that he will be able to become an effective leader of the United Russia party that for years was domesticated by V.V. Putin.

Origin: www.valdaiclub.com

 

[waltky]

Cousin Boris says ever'body knew he was just a placeholder...

Seat warmer: Russia's Medvedev stepping aside for 'more popular' Putin
September 30, 2011 - Dmitry Medvedev admits a deal was made in which he would hold onto the presidency until Putin was constitutionally allowed to return to office. Medvedev's supporters are not amused.

Incumbent Russian President Dmitry Medvedev broke nearly a week's silence Friday on why he meekly stepped aside and allowed Vladimir Putin to take the ruling United Russia party's presidential nomination – which virtually guarantees Mr. Putin's victory in elections next March. His explanation: Putin is more popular. "Prime Minister Putin is definitely the most authoritative politician in our country and his rating is somewhat higher [than mine]," Mr. Medvedev said in remarks broadcast on all major Russian TV networks and published in full on the Kremlin's official website.

At a convention of United Russia last weekend, Medvedev ended years of speculation by nominating Putin to be the party's standard bearer. Since the Kremlin-backed United Russia traditionally deploys vast resources to ensure its desired result, and any serious opponents are winnowed from the ballot well in advance, there seems little doubt that former President Putin is set to return for one, and probably two, six-year terms that may see him dominating the Kremlin until 2024. In his acceptance speech, Putin stunned even some hard-boiled Russia observers by admitting that he and Medvedev had cooked up this plan "several years ago," apparently as a way of keeping Putin's chair warm while he sidestepped the Russian Constitution's ban on any single person serving more than two consecutive terms as president.

Medvedev, in his remarks Friday, seemed at pains to explain to his supporters – including many liberal-minded people who had taken his declarations about the need to reform Russia's top-heavy, heavily centralized, and corruption-ridden political system at face value – by suggesting he might have fought for the nomination if he'd been more popular. "I was not deceiving anyone when I said the things I did, because life can indeed make sudden changes to any plans and scenarios," he said. "At the same time, yes, we did already have an agreement between us."

Unlike the US, where the two major political parties hold exhaustive primaries for their presidential candidates, and inner-party primary challenges to an incumbent president are not unheard of, the members of United Russia had no say whatsoever in the decision Putin and Medvedev sprung on them last weekend.

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[theliq]

Well its business as usual,with Putin and Medvedev swapping jobs methinks.....all these old/reformed!!!???????KGB ites,just have to stay in power to keep their perks and money grabbing continuing,Putins worth is now around $6.6 BILLION.

Anyhow if a more honest government was elected Putin and his corrupt Possee would find themselves in the nearest Gulag or worse.........so they just have to continue.theliq

D. A. Medvedev’s decision to step down as a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections must have been a difficult one as, constitutionally speaking, the president is the most powerful person in the Russian Federation. Why he has done so? President Medvedev would be a very good president for the next term in office in so-called normal times, prosperous times, stable times. But what we see today is everything but stability and prosperity: problems in Europe, financial problems in the U.S., the slowdown of the Chinese economy, and, finally North African and Arab revolutions. In general, political instability in the world demands a lot from governments, and this includes the crisis management that is needed in Russia. Thus, one of the main reasons of his decision might be the need for stronger leadership, for a crisis manager who will be able to steer Russia through the period of a global instability.

The second reason might be that D.A. Medvedev started his presidency with very ambitious plans with his famous article “Forward, Russia!” The problem is that many of his ambitious and forward-looking proposals did not materialize. Judging his presidency from the perspective of his promises, we may say that a lot of reforms in law enforcement and other legal areas were implemented, but in the area of modernization of the country few things have been done.

He has no support - or until recently he didn’t have the support - of any political party for his own political platform. It’s also doubtful that he will be able to become an effective leader of the United Russia party that for years was domesticated by V.V. Putin.

Origin: www.valdaiclub.com

 

[Baruch Menachem]

I hope Vlad is in for a shock when the votes are counted.