'Putin should return as president in 2012'
The chairman of Russia's upper house of parliament said Saturday that Vladimir Putin, barred from seeking a third consecutive term in elections next year, should run again for the presidency in 2012.
By Agencies |
MOSCOW: The chairman of Russia's upper house of parliament said Saturday that Vladimir Putin, barred from seeking a third consecutive term in elections next year, should run again for the presidency in 2012, Russian news agencies reported.
The comments by Sergei Mironov are likely add to the furious speculation about Putin's intentions that erupted this week when he abruptly dissolved the government and tapped an obscure Cabinet official to be the new prime minister.
Putin later named the official, Viktor Zubkov, as one of a handful of people with a fighting chance of replacing him in the Kremlin next spring, leading analysts to speculate that the move might be aimed at allowing Putin to return as president in the future.
Speaking during a meeting with lawmakers in the Chechen capital, Grozny, Mironov repeated his call for extending Putin's term in office. The Constitution bars Putin from seeking a third consecutive term.
``Putin himself has categorically objected to changing the constitution for himself. Therefore, we will elect a different president in 2008,'' Mironov was quoted by Interfax as saying.
``This will be a president who will continue Vladimir Putin's course, and in 2012, I am sure, we will have to nominate Vladimir Putin again and elect him president, which the law allows,'' Mironov was quoted as telling Chechen lawmakers.
Mironov, who is chairman of the Federation Council, is a Kremlin loyalist who heads A Just Russia, a newly created political party that is likely to pick up a large share of seats in parliament during elections in December.
In March he called for the presidential term to be extended to allow Putin to stay in office, however, the Kremlin quickly made clear that it opposed that proposal.
The comments by Sergei Mironov are likely add to the furious speculation about Putin's intentions that erupted this week when he abruptly dissolved the government and tapped an obscure Cabinet official to be the new prime minister.
Putin later named the official, Viktor Zubkov, as one of a handful of people with a fighting chance of replacing him in the Kremlin next spring, leading analysts to speculate that the move might be aimed at allowing Putin to return as president in the future.
Speaking during a meeting with lawmakers in the Chechen capital, Grozny, Mironov repeated his call for extending Putin's term in office. The Constitution bars Putin from seeking a third consecutive term.
``Putin himself has categorically objected to changing the constitution for himself. Therefore, we will elect a different president in 2008,'' Mironov was quoted by Interfax as saying.
``This will be a president who will continue Vladimir Putin's course, and in 2012, I am sure, we will have to nominate Vladimir Putin again and elect him president, which the law allows,'' Mironov was quoted as telling Chechen lawmakers.
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He also said that term for presidents should be extended to five or seven years.Mironov, who is chairman of the Federation Council, is a Kremlin loyalist who heads A Just Russia, a newly created political party that is likely to pick up a large share of seats in parliament during elections in December.
In March he called for the presidential term to be extended to allow Putin to stay in office, however, the Kremlin quickly made clear that it opposed that proposal.
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