Putin not staying put?
Posted by Ron Coleman on April 26, 2007
Putin has certainly got the look of a President for Life. So imagine my surprise at reading this:
Vladimir Putin on Thursday made his clearest rejection yet of speculation that he would try to seek a third term, but gave no hint in his state of the nation address as to whom he sees as his preferred successor.
Putin’s second term in office ends in 2008, and he is constitutionally barred from running for a third. While many observers have suggested he would try to stay in office, Putin has consistently dismissed the idea and did so again Thursday.“The next state of the nation address will be given by another head of state,” he said.
There are many ways to skin the cat — to run a country from behind the scenes, and none can be ruled out. Yet while this man can be viewed only with great distaste by anyone in favor of freedom, if indeed he steps aside asconstitutionally required, even nominally, I will be impressed.
Putin need not evoke a constitutional crisis to stay in charge in Russia, because he is so popular, and so tightly controls the Russian political system, that a change to the constitution would be a snap for him. May the muses of real democracy forgive me for saying this, but Russia will never be America, and hardly seems to want to be. But if Putin steps aside after his two terms, I think we will have to call it, as bizarre as this sounds, Washingtonesque.
Ara Rubyan said
My impression is that he’d switch places with any number of oligarchs at a moment’s notice.
Barrette said
It would be a complete shock if he in fact stepped down. Putin has given every indication over the past five or more years that he is interested primarily in consolidating power. Here’s hoping.
Ara Rubyan said
Money is power.
Gwedd said
Fellers,
Yup. I agree. If he actually does retire, leave office peacefully, there are MILLIONS who will be in shock.
Personally, I fear him generating some sort of “state emergency” that forces him to remain in power, for the “Good of the People”.
A lot of leftists claim that President Bush will do the same, but that’s grasping at straws. At least here in America, we haven’t the sort of prior-example for such behaviour as, say, the Russians do.
Respects,