Nezavisimaya Gazeta: “Putin: Election campaign a possibility in 2011”
The pro-Kremlin United Russia party is already pledging its allegiance.
There is very little time left until the next cycle of federal election campaigns, and Vladimir Putin is now making certain cautious predictions and conjectures regarding his return to the presidency. However, even that mild display of political intent has sent shockwaves of enthusiasm through his party.
Very few political questions were aired on the December 16 programme "A Conversation with Vladimir Putin, Continued." No one asked who would be the next Russian President; and if they did, one can presume that they were ignored by programme moderators or by Putin himself.
Putin recently made some vague comments about the 2012 presidential election race, but he again repeated that the issue would be discussed among all parties involved. On the other hand, it turns out that he is ready to give more direct answers related to other important issues. When Sergei Brilyov, host of the Saturday News analytical programme, asked Putin about the 2011 State Duma elections, he received an unexpected reply that electrified the United Russia party.
Putin said that he might run for the State Duma. And when asked if he would head the United Russia ticket next year, he answered: "On the whole, I don't rule out the possibility, especially in my current capacity." On the one hand, this reply leaves Putin the most possible maneuvering room; but on the other, it intentionally boosts partisan morale. It is hardly surprising that United Russia officials promptly began thanking him. For instance, Sergei Neverov, Acting Secretary of United Russia's General Council Presidium said: "The fact that he doesn't rule out the possibility of heading the partisan ticket at the State Duma elections certainly indicates a highly positive assessment [of the party] and a great trust that we must pledge to warrant."
Putin's qualification of his statement – "especially in my current capacity" –is also quite interesting. It implies the capacity in question may change in the future, but says nothing about the direction of that change. Putin seems to be putting his habitually mysterious image to the test once again. But, judging from history, one can be sure that he will become United Russia's driving force in the near future; nearly all the election victories of pro-government parties ultimately boil down to the shortlist of VIP politicians who head their tickets at the federal and regional levels.
At the same time, United Russia is gradually learning to do without its so-called "pace cars" at the qualification races, including the upcoming March 13, 2011 regional elections in 12 Russian regions. About half of their governors will not run on the United Russia ticket. The incumbent governors of the Tambov, Kursk, and Kurgan regions will have to resign. Those in some other regions may also be replaced. Novosibirsk Region Governor
Viktor Tolokonsky did not run on the partisan ticket this past fall either, and consequently, United Russia failed to win the majority in the region.
By Ivan Rodin
