Putin Names Favored Successor

Business-friendly Medvedev would 'carry on the course'
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 10, 2007 7:17 AM CST
Putin Names Favored Successor
President Vladimir Putin, left, and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev seen at an official meeting in the Federation Council, parliament's upper house, in Moscow, in this Friday, March 16, 2006 file photo. President Vladimir Putin on Monday Dec. 10, 2007, expressed support for First Deputy Prime...   (Associated Press)

Vladimir Putin ended months of speculation today by naming Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as his chosen successor, the AP reports. A Putin loyalist, Medvedev is a business-friendly lawyer with ties to prominent natural gas company Gazprom, AP reports. Putin’s choice is expected to be the prohibitive frontrunner in March’s elections.

All three parties in Parliament said they supported the choice, as Putin promised Medvedev would “carry out the course that has brought results for the past eight years.” While term limits prohibit Putin from running for reelection himself, some see the choice of the mild-mannered Medvedev as paving the way for a Putin return to power in several years. Russian stocks surged on the announcement. (More Vladimir Putin stories.)

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