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Medvedev asks Putin to be his Premier

MOSCOW: First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, named by President Vladimir Putin as his favoured successor, has asked Mr. Putin to be Prime Minister in his future government.

A day after Mr. Putin backed him to run in the presidential poll next year Mr. Medvedev said Mr. Putin’s premiership was essential to guarantee stability and continuity.

“It is necessary to ensure the continuity of the course of the past eight years,” said Mr. Medvedev in a speech broadcast live on state television on Tuesday.

Mr. Medvedev said his priorities as President would include reducing poverty, raising living standards, improving public health and education, making housing more affordable and reversing the downward demographic trend.

“To follow this path, it’s not enough to elect a new President who shares this approach; it’s no less important to maintain the efficiency of our current team formed by the incumbent President,” he said. “And so I think it is crucial for our country to keep Vladimir Putin in a top position in the executive — the position of head of the Russian government.”

Mr. Putin last month did not rule out the prospect of becoming Prime Minister after stepping down as President. However, later he said there would be “an entirely new team” in the Kremlin next year. Analysts said the invitation for Mr. Putin to take the post of Prime Minister could be a way for Mr. Medvedev to emphasise his commitment to continue Mr. Putin’s policies and to work in close tandem with the outgoing President.

Pledging loyalty to Mr. Putin, who has the support of 80 percent of Russians, will help Mr. Medvedev’s raise his popularity ahead of the March 2 election.

Mr. Putin made no mention of Mr. Medvedev’s job offer when he addressed the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry later on Tuesday. The Kremlin press service has also declined any comment. Earlier experts doubted that Mr. Putin would agree to head the government, as this would make him a subordinate of the President and involve the risk of creating two competing centres of power in the Kremlin.

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