Putin declares his 'right' to influence future policies

RUSSIA: Vladimir Putin yesterday gave his strongest hint yet that he intends to stay in power in Russia after his term as president expires next year, declaring that he had a "moral right" to maintain influence.

Mr Putin said that if, as expected, his United Russia Party wins a landslide victory in next month's parliamentary elections, this would give him a mandate to carry on as the country's de facto leader.

He refused to say how he intends to maintain his grip on power, merely saying there were "various possibilities". Under Russia's constitution, Mr Putin, who was elected in 2000, is obliged to step down in May after two consecutive presidential terms.

But yesterday's remarks are the baldest affirmation yet that he has no real intention of resigning from politics. "If the people vote for United Russia, it means that a clear majority of the people put their trust in me and, in turn, that means I will have the moral right to hold those in the Duma and the cabinet responsible for the implementation of the tasks that have been set today," he said during a visit to the Siberian town of Krasnoyarsk.

He has hinted that he could continue to run the country as prime minister. Other possibilities include propelling current incumbent Viktor Zubkov (66) into the president's job and making a comeback as president when Mr Zubkov steps down for "health reasons".

"He will assert a decisive impact on what any presidential successor will do in power," said Grigorii Golosov, a professor in the political sciences and sociology faculty at St Petersburg's European university. "It will create a really complex situation."

© 2007 Guardian Service

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times